The Holy Trinity
by MasterMind2553
Summary: AU. Natsu, Erza, Mirajane. Three very powerful wizards with seemingly different paths to follow. But the mission to Galuna Island changes everything. Natsu awakens something not seen in Earthland for over 400 years, resuming an age-old war for supremacy between brothers. However, Natsu cannot win this war alone. NaZaMi. God!OOC!Natsu (Currently being rewritten)
1. Fairy Tail

_**Hello, everyone!**_

_**This is my third fanfic overall and my first Fairy Tail fanfic. I'm very excited with this fic because I have a lot of plans for it in the future in regards to plot. While the memorable arcs of the actual series will be present (with my own twists), there will be a good number of original arcs. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I will enjoy writing it!**_

_**So please, as always, read and review! I really want to know what y'all think and leave me tips on how I can improve my writing. I am here for that, after all. **_

_**Enjoy! **_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, its rights or any of its characters, spells, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima. I only own my OCs, my spells, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " "= **Dialogue**

**Requip " "= Spells and Magical Item Names **

_What? ' ' = _**Thoughts**

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>The Holy Trinity<br>_**

**Chapter 1: Fairy Tail**

It was a stormy afternoon in the town of Magnolia. Incredibly large cumulonimbus clouds hung over the peaceful town like a bad omen, as if the gods were unleashing their wrath upon them. Streets were mostly empty and some businesses were closed due to the obvious lack of clientele. Even so, there were still a few businesses open for if there was a miracle customer or weary traveler rushing to escape the torrential rains that haunted the town for three days and seemed to never end. The bell of the church in the middle of town rang solemnly through the afternoon only to be drowned out by the thundering of the sky. Right now, Magnolia was nothing but a ghost town.

However, there was a lone man, about six feet and four inches tall, standing in front of a large, pagoda-like cream colored three story building, with a square set of double doors that had a large golden sign reading "Fairy Tail" in blue letters and two fairy-like figures with tails pointing in opposite directions on top. The man was dressed very well, with a red long sleeve button up shirt left unbuttoned at the top, revealing a very muscular chest, tucked in black dress slacks and black dress shoes, and a long black leather trench coat with elaborate blood-red patterns near the ends draped over his wide shoulders as if it were a cape. He had a strong-looking visage with a very elaborately shaped scar to the right side of it that surrounded most of his eye and trailed down to mid-cheek and short, spiky black hair that held strong through the rain. A solemn expression ruled his handsome features and he had his eyes closed.

With every lightning flash, it seemed that the solitary man was getting closer and closer to the semi-elegant doors of the guild hall. But the closer he got, the farther he seemed from opening them. Light was visible through the windows of the first floor, signaling activity inside the wooden building. He opened his eyes as rain pelted every inch of the man's body, drenching him in cold water, but he didn't seem to mind. It was as if he was entranced with the guild hall's doors, taking in every minute detail there was in the rainy darkness. No matter how much the rain hit the man, he did not make a move to get away from it. He stood there, motionless, listening to the sounds of increasing activity in the building. Then, suddenly, the man lifted his hands, pushed the double doors open, and walked inside.

Instantly, all activity inside the guild trailed off slowly as surprised faces turned towards the doors to see who had entered their building. The room was a large wooden lunch hall with parquet floors and a mezzanine overlooking it. Long benches were perched across the length of the hall with a bar at the end of it, where a beautiful white-haired girl with deep blue eyes was staring at the soaked man blankly. Water dripping off the bottom of his attire, the man slowly made his way towards the bar, ignoring the whispering that surrounded him.

"Do you feel that?"

"Yeah… He's powerful…"

"Waay too powerful…"

"Dude gives me the creeps…"

"He looks like a REAL MAN!"

"Shut up, Elfman…"

"He's hot…"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Ignoring the whispers and stares directed at him, the man was still walking towards the bar, and it seemed that he was taking his sweet time getting there. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a beautiful, fair-skinned young woman with waist-length brown hair, brown eyes, large breasts covered only by a blue bikini top, a slim, curvaceous hour-glass figure and tight black pants that accentuated her wide hips. She was sitting cross-legged on top of a table looking at him while she was drinking out of a rather large barrel of what seemed to be alcohol. He failed to notice the mark of the guild that was on the left side of her stomach. Apart from that, no one else seemed to capture the attention or receive a fleeting glance from the man, not even a scarlet haired young woman wearing an interesting combination of a suit of armor, elbow-length gauntlets, a navy blue skirt and long black boots that was sitting on a stool in the bar, glaring at the man suspiciously. He could hear breaths hitch as the people throughout the hall noticed the woman's fierce stare towards this new intruder who interrupted their version of peace. Apparently, everyone in the guild feared this woman.

Still expressionless, the man looked towards the young woman and returned her harsh stare, completely unfazed by hers. Gasps could be heard throughout the guild hall… apparently nobody dared to do this to her, for fear of getting beaten to near-death. His head quickly snapped towards the white-haired girl who motioned towards him from behind the bar. She jumped slightly at his sudden reaction.

"Can I help you?" she asked, politely… cheerfully.

"I want to see your master…" replied the man in a deep, commanding voice that seemingly made some people behind him shudder.

"For what purpose do you seek him?" asked the red-haired girl, standing up, still looking at him harshly. Even though she was about a head shorter than the man, it did not seem to hurt her resolve.

"I want to join your guild," the man replied simply, not looking at the red-haired woman and giving the white-haired girl a lingering stare. She was very beautiful, with her white hair extending down to her slim waist, with two bangs hanging all the way down to her bountiful chest. However, her most prominent feature in her hair was a short, upward ponytail that she had right above her forehead. She wore a maroon dress with a pleated skirt that really outlined her voluptuous curves, a large bow on her chest and a small necklace. Noticing the stare, the girl seemed to back away slightly. However, it was not due to intimidation as she reached back and pulled out a bottle of liquor.

"Would you care for a drink?" she offered, her cheerful tone never faltering.

"I would like tequila please," replied the man as he approached the bar. "Please leave the whole bottle."

"Sure!" she chirped as she went back to the shelves and looked for the requested liquor. "Are you looking for something specific?"

"Anything is fine, thank you," replied the man, sitting on the stool next to the scarlet-haired girl. He noticed that the glare she was giving him still had not faltered, prompting him to look at her straight in the eyes.

"What's your name?" she asked curtly.

"Draxnor… Draxnor Hellion," replied the man. "Yours?"

The girl looked at Draxnor intently, seemingly contemplating whether she should give him her name or not. Draxnor, still expressionless, returned the stare. Something about the man irked the girl, but she just couldn't pinpoint what. It was as if this man was surrounded by a veil of mystery. His almost annoying calmness and near-arrogance screamed suspicions and secrets at the girl, and she did not like it one bit. What could the man be hiding behind such a calm, handsome expression?

She barely noticed the large scar that adorned the right side of his face. She couldn't believe that she had missed such a large detail of the man's visage. She cursed at herself mentally for getting lost in the man's deep brown eyes.

"Erza… Erza Scarlet…" she said softly, tentatively. Draxnor raised an eyebrow, interested.

"Scarlet… you got that from the color of your hair, didn't you?" he asked. Erza's eyes widened considerably.

"I guess I'm right," Draxnor continued as the white-haired girl placed the bottle in front of him. "From that fact, I can deduce that you either didn't have a last name or you don't remember it."

Erza only stared at him, grinding her teeth together as her beautiful visage shook slightly in anger.

"Forgive me," Draxnor apologized suddenly, bowing his head slightly and shocking Erza in the process. "I did not mean to anger you."

He grabbed his bottle, left the money on the counter, stood up and began to walk away from her. "I will take my leave, now. But, please, tell your master of my wanting to join your guild."

"No," Erza muttered shakily, making Draxnor stop in his tracks and turn to look at her. Her expression was almost unreadable, a mixture of sadness, anger and pain thrown together into a single container. "It's okay. You can stay… I'll go get him."

"There'll be no need for that," spoke a voice from above them. Draxnor looked up to see a very short, elderly man with an orange shirt with a white one underneath, orange shorts, with orange shoes. He was completely bald, except for the rims of his head, where he had white hair.

"M-Master…" muttered Erza.

'_So he's the master of this guild…' _thought Draxnor calmly, as the elderly master of the Fairy Tail Guild made his way down the wooden stairs to the left of Draxnor.

"Mira, my dear, get me the usual," he voiced as he jumped on a stool in front of Draxnor.

"Of course, Master!" answered the white-haired girl joyously, kneeling down behind the bar and picking out a mug.

"Now, my boy, you said you wanted to join this guild?" he stated more than asked. Draxnor nodded curtly.

"Why?"

"My family died when I was young. I spent most of my life traveling around Fiore without a solid path to follow. Throughout those horribly lonely years, I have made some rather crooked decisions that have landed me in my current situation and I thought that by joining this guild, considered to be the strongest in all of Fiore, I would be able to straighten my path a lot more easily and effectively and find the family I never had," stated Draxnor, closing his eyes and sighing softly after he finished.

"I see. You have suffered a lot in your… how old are you?" asked the master.

"I am 28, Master," replied Draxnor.

"Right. You have suffered a lot in those 28 short years of your life. I can see it in your eyes, but I can also see darkness in them. A deep, dangerous darkness, threatening to swallow you whole," said the master, his eyes scrutinizing Draxnor's, as if attempting to see into his very soul.

"Yes, Master. That is why I wish to join… so I can straighten my path and conquer the darkness within me," replied Draxnor, bowing slightly.

"Well said, my boy… well said," complimented the master, giving him a large smile before taking a large swig of his drink. "That is the essence of Fairy Tail: to gather young men and women who have lost their path and guide them down the right one. Welcome to Fairy Tail!"

Cheering and clapping suddenly erupted from the other guild members as the master shouted out the last sentence. Draxnor, surprised at the sudden change in atmosphere, could only smile slightly.

"Now, let's show our newest member Draxnor what it means to party Fairy Tail style!" yelled the master, raising up his mug while a roar of approval rang throughout the guild hall. Raising his bottle as well, Draxnor then gulped down half of his bottle before making his way to the stool next to the master.

"Master—" began Draxnor.

"Makarov…" replied Master Makarov. Draxnor nodded.

"Are there any other requirements I need to fulfill?" asked Draxnor.

"None at all, my boy. All you need is a big heart and an endless thirst for adventure!" Makarov shouted happily after gulping a large part of his second drink.

"I see… good thing I have both those things," muttered Draxnor, finishing his bottle before setting it down. He turned towards the white-haired girl, who was looking at him.

"Draxnor, let me introduce myself. My name is Mirajane… Mirajane Strauss," said Mirajane, bowing slightly. "You can call me Mira."

"It's nice to meet you, Mira," Draxnor replied politely, extending his right hand, which she tentatively took. He bent down and kissed it softly, causing her to blush.

"Oh, my…" she giggled slightly, removing her hand. "Would you like to meet some of the members of the guild?"

"Sure… I see no problem with that," replied Draxnor, standing up.

"Alright!" she said, making her way around the bar gesturing Draxnor to follow her. They walked towards a table that had the heavy-drinking female mage plus another female wizard and a group of four men.

"That's my younger brother, Elfman Strauss," began Mira, gesturing at a very large, muscular man with spiked up white hair and a scar right underneath his right eye. He was wearing a Japanese style high-collared jacket, blue pants and black shoes.

"How's it hanging? If you want to know what a REAL MAN is, come to me!" shouted Elfman, clenching his fist.

"Ah, that Elfman… always going on about that," giggled Mirajane softly.

"Hey! I'm Macao!" greeted a middle-aged man with slicked back dark blue hair. He was wearing a knee-length white jacket with his sleeves rolled up, a dark blue shirt, brown pants, and brown shoes.

"Hey, hot stuff… I'm Cana," greeted the young alcoholic woman rather seductively, who after her second barrel, didn't even seem to be tipsy at all. "Wanna go on a date with me?"

"Cana! Don't scare him!" reprimanded Mirajane playfully.

"Sure… just give me the date and time you're free," replied Draxnor, shocking everyone, even Mirajane. Cana just stared at him, a smile slowly spreading through her face. The thing that highlighted everything was Draxnor's small, but very handsome smile. Maybe… just maybe… this could be her lucky day after all.

"Wow, I like you already! How about this weekend?" said Cana, winking at Draxnor.

"Fine…" he replied, nodding slowly.

"That's a REAL MAN for you, you unmanly wimps! Draxnor barely joined and he already has a date with Cana!" roared Elfman, throwing his fists up in the air, and everyone in the table cheered.

"Good luck to you, man! You'll need it! I'm Wakaba, by the way," greeted a slender man with brown, pompadour-style hair with the large tuft extending forward. He wore a green long-sleeve shirt with flower patterns, brown pants and brown boots. "So, Mira… about that date…"

"Sorry, Wakaba," Mira replied, giving him a cheerful glare that sent shivers down his spine.

"S-S-Scary…" stuttered Wakaba.

"You too, Mira?" asked Draxnor. "The men here are scared of you too?"

"Well, everyone has a good reason. She ain't called the "She-Devil" for no reason," replied another young man, sparking Draxnor's interest. He had long, unkempt black hair that covered the right side of his face, and he wore a brown coat resembling a poncho with tasseled edges along with a brown shirt, torn light brown pants and simple boots. "Name's Alzack by the way. And this is Bisca."

He gestured towards the girl sitting next to him. She had long, straight green hair with two long bangs framing her face covered by a yellow cowgirl hat. She wore a yellow polka-dot scarf and a blue strapless one piece dress and long reddish boots.

"Nice to meet ya, Draxnor," she greeted, waving her hand at him. Draxnor nodded.

"Nice to meet you, too," he replied.

"Well, now that that's done, let's go meet the others over there!" said Mirajane happily, pointing at a table where a blue-haired petite girl sat with two young men.

"PARTY BRAWL!" roared Elfman, and cries, punches and kicks were being thrown around. Draxnor turned around, slightly surprised at the mob of people that had gathered in a single spot, smashing plates and tables. Bisca, Alzack and Cana moved away from the fighting, while the two young men that were with the petite blue-haired girl joined in on the fight.

Draxnor then surveyed the entire guild, only to find them cheering. Even Master Makarov was cheering, holding his mug high in the air then taking a large gulp. The only one that didn't seem all too pleased by this was Erza.

"It seems that Erza isn't very pleased with this little brawl," commented Draxnor, attracting Mirajane's attention.

"No, she's a little more on the "mature" side. She thinks it childish to take part in these brawls," said Mirajane simply.

"Ha, I see…" Draxnor smirked.

"Watch out!" called Mira suddenly, prompting him to turn around, only to see Elfman's flying body shooting towards him. Draxnor opened his arms and caught Elfman.

"You alright there, Elfman?" asked Draxnor.

"I'm fine, thanks," groaned Elfman, standing up swiftly. "You should join. The fights get pretty fun."

"I think I'll pass this time," said Draxnor, waving his hand dismissively.

"Nope! Not letting you! A REAL MAN would not pass on this!" shouted Elfman, launching his right fist at Draxnor as he began to laugh.

"Elfman!" cried Mira. "He said no!"

Too late… Elfman's punch had landed right on Draxnor's face. The only thing was that he didn't fly back as expected. He stood there, fist on his face, expressionless. Slowly, he lifted his right hand, grabbed Elfman's and yanked it away from his face. Everyone that wasn't in the brawl was surprised that a punch from one of their strongest members didn't affect Draxnor in the slightest. Elfman was shocked senseless. How could one of his manly punches not even affect the new recruit?

Smirking slightly, Draxnor fisted his right hand and drew it back.

**"Black Armament,"** he spoke softly. His entire right arm, along with his shirt, became a solid black color, catching everyone's attention and earning some surprised gasps. The brawling mob actually stopped to see what was going on, and Master Makarov stopped gulping on his drink to see as well. Even Erza, who wasn't paying attention at all, turned to see what the commotion was all about. Her eyes widened when she saw Draxnor's pitch black fist.

He lunged forward and landed a powerful blow to Elfman's gut, who bent forward, gasping in pain. He was then sent flying towards the mob and crashed on top of them.

"Got ya," muttered Draxnor, smiling. When he saw Mirajane's worried glance, he added, "No need to worry. He's fine."

Sure enough, Elfman slowly got up from the mass of groaning bodies piled up together over a broken table. A smile adorned his face.

"Whoa! That actually hurt! This guy hits like a REAL MAN!" roared Elfman, earning cheers from everyone. Erza, scowling, made her way to Draxnor.

"You were holding back, weren't you?" she asked sternly. Draxnor raised an eyebrow in interest. Mirajane caught on to what Erza said and approached the conversation.

"Yes, I was…" he replied simply.

"Really?" asked Mirajane, surprised. Draxnor turned towards her and nodded.

"Come with me," ordered Erza. Silently, Draxnor and Mirajane followed her until they stopped in front of a red-faced, hiccupping Master Makarov.

"Master…" began Erza.

"What is it, my dear?" he asked, surprisingly steady considering the amount of alcohol he had consumed already.

"I want to test Draxnor's strength in a match, and I want you to referee it," she explained. Draxnor looked at her, interest flaring up. She wanted to fight him to see how strong he was? He would not disappoint her. He would give her a match she would never forget.

"When? It's still raining heavily as we speak, so the match cannot be held today," said Makarov.

"MASTER! THE RAIN IS GONE!"

"Well, that was quick," Makarov deadpanned. Sighing deeply, he added, "Do you want to hold it right now, then?"

"No, Master… tomorrow morning will be fine," replied Erza.

"Sounds good, my dear. Would you like me to announce this to the guild?" asked Makarov.

"Sure, that's fine," responded Erza.

"Better get ready, Draxnor. Erza is a very tough opponent. You won't have it easy," warned Mirajane.

"And I don't want to have it easy," said Draxnor. "For a reason she is the great Titania Erza. I will not accept anything but her all in battle."

"So you're accepting my challenge, huh? That's a first… Not many wizards show such confidence when either challenging me to a match or accepting a challenge… except _him_…" she said, closing her eyes and smiling softly, her cheeks tainting a soft pink.

"Ah, yes… _him_…" Mirajane added, lifting her hand and leaning her face on it, a more pronounced blush flooding her cheeks. Draxnor, surprised, eyed both ladies. He also noticed the tick marks appearing on Erza's forehead as she glared at Mirajane.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Two of our strongest and most beautiful ladies in love with the same man? What a lucky bastard he is…" Makarov commented, earning glares from both Mirajane and Erza. He began to sweat profusely in nervousness.

Chuckling at the sight, Draxnor said, "Well… if that's all for today, I shall take my leave. I will be back tomorrow morning for this challenge."

"Wait! I forgot!" piped up Mirajane suddenly, rushing back behind the counter of the bar. "I haven't placed our guild stamp on you. What color would you like it to be? And where do you want it?"

"Ah, yes, the guild's mark. How could I forget about that?" Makarov mumbled.

"I want it black with red flaming throughout the mark. Is that possible?" said Draxnor, sitting on the stool.

"Hmm, it might be a little hard, but it's surely not impossible," replied Mirajane cheerfully. After a few minutes of tampering around with the stamp and its colors, she whooped and gestured for Draxnor to come closer.

"Done! Where do you want it?" she asked.

"Here…" he said simply, rolling back his right sleeve up to his elbow and placing his forearm on the counter. Nodding with a small giggle, she stamped the guild's mark.

"There! Now you're an official member of Fairy Tail!" she said joyously.

"Thanks," said Draxnor softly, nodding. He turned and began walking towards the guild's exit. "Now I'll take my leave."

"Master, I'm leaving as well," said Erza, closely following Draxnor. "I'm going to need a good rest for my upcoming match against Draxnor."

"Wait just a moment," called out Makarov, stopping Erza and Draxnor in their tracks. "LISTEN UP, YOU BRATS!"

Every single trace of activity throughout the guild vanished once again, just like when Draxnor walked in through those doors. Everyone was looking at Master Makarov with interest in their eyes. The only times they were all called out collectively were when he either had an important announcement or when he was going to discuss the festivals. So, if they were all called out, they knew it was because of something important.

"I have an announcement to make," began the tiny master. "Now that we have partied somewhat in welcoming of our newest member, Draxnor, I have news that many of you will most likely enjoy. Erza here has challenged Draxnor to an all-out match and I will referee it."

Once he dropped the bomb, everyone in the guild adopted looks of horror and sympathy. It seemed that Draxnor was not going to be a member for much longer. Erza was quite nasty when it came to these challenges. But what surprised them the most was not that. It was the fact that Erza herself challenged Draxnor, not the other way around. What could've gotten Erza, _the great Titania Erza_, so interested in that man? Did she believe him to be strong enough to take her on at full strength? If so, why? Was it because of the way the man carried himself around? Was it because of his overly intimidating appearance? Sure, he did an aura of mystery surrounding him, but was that the only reason she came onto him and challenged him?

"The match will be held tomorrow morning just behind the guild. If any of you want to enjoy a surely unforgettable battle, come by early tomorrow!" continued Makarov, raising his mug. "To an awesome match tomorrow!"

After the initial shock of the announcement wore off, loud cheers rang throughout the guild as the members were excitedly looking forward to this surely incredible fight. Draxnor smiled and returned to the bar.

"Mira, can I please have another bottle of tequila?" he asked, placing more money on the counter.

"Sure! Coming right up!" chirped Mirajane, rushing to the shelves and picking out another bottle of the requested liquor. "Here ya go!"

"Thanks, Mira," said Draxnor, saluting her and winking at the same time, causing her to blush slightly.

"No problem!" she replied cheerfully.

"Goodbye, Master, Mira. I'll be taking my leave now," he said, bowing down slightly.

"Sure, my boy. Get plenty of rest… you'll need it," said the master, smirking lightly.

"I'll be leaving too, Master," voiced Erza.

"Alright, my dear. You take care, as well," replied the master, giving a contented sigh after gulping another mug of alcohol.

"Bye, Draxnor! Bye, Erza!" shouted Mirajane, waving goodbye to them. They both waved goodbye back as they made their way to the exit. Once they were outside and the doors closed, Draxnor felt a hand on his shoulders.

"Draxnor…" began Erza.

"Is there a specific reason as to why you're challenging me?" he interrupted her, rotating to face her entirely. Silence ruled for a couple of moments between the pair as she contemplated her answer.

"Yes… and no…" she finally replied.

"Well, let me hear your reason as to why you challenged me," Draxnor coaxed her.

"I just want to see how strong you are, that's all," she replied, not looking at him. She was obviously hiding something. The only thing was… what.

"I see… well, that doesn't matter. Let's just have a good match. How does that sound?" he said, trying to lift up the suddenly sullen mood. She smiled.

"That's fine with me," she replied.

"Oh, by the way, who was that guy you were talking about that had you and Mira all mushy?" he inquired, earning a small gasp and a blush from Erza. "If you want to tell me of course… you don't have to."

"It's fine… I'll tell you. But you better not tell anyone! Understand?" she warned, glaring down… or up at Draxnor.

"I will not. I swear. It's not my thing to go around spreading rumors or truth even. I'd rather let people find out on their own unless it's of crucial importance," stated Draxnor, waving his hands, trying to calm her down.

"Alright, alright… his name's Natsu… Natsu Dragneel," she stated, looking down and smiling softly. "He's in Fairy Tail with us, but he wasn't here today because he had some stuff to take care of."

"Well, well, my fellow comrade Natsu was born under a lucky star to have two beautiful women such as you and Mira after him," he smirked. Erza blushed and turned away from Draxnor. Laughing softly, he turned around as well and began walking away from Erza.

"Goodnight," he called out, waving his hand. Erza didn't hear him, for she was too lost in her thoughts. It was only until a few moments later that she snapped out of them and turned to bid goodbye to Draxnor, that she noticed that he was gone. It was as if he vanished into thin air.

'_Where'd he go?'_ she wondered. _'Ah well, whatever… I have to get back and get some rest!' _

Alone she trekked through the stone streets of Magnolia town until she made it to her home, the prestigious Fairy Hills.

Walking through the door, the lobby, up the stairs, and into her room, Erza was lost in thought. She requipped into purple pajamas and threw herself onto her bed as many things ran through her mind. But what dominated her thoughts was the battle set for tomorrow. Even though she had barely met Draxnor, she knew that he was strong._ How_ strong… she didn't know. She was going to find out tomorrow. She bit her lip slightly in nervous anticipation. Never in her life had she been this excited for a battle with someone other than Natsu. It felt somewhat refreshing. She was going to fight someone with skills totally unknown to her, with magic she may have never seen before. The only magic he showed off to the guild was the **Black Armament**, but she didn't even know what it did. All she knew was that his arm turned a solid black color. She didn't know what effect it had on the user and what advantages it gave. Hopefully he would use it tomorrow. Maybe then she could figure out what it was all about.

Before she knew it, she could feel the pleasant darkness of sleep overtake her, sending her into the realm of dreams…

…

_"NO! Please! Get away from me!" she shouted as she ran through the darkened streets of Magnolia, trying to get her overtaxed legs to move a little faster than before. Something was chasing her… something horrible. She never got a glimpse of whatever was chasing her due to the fact that the being was covered in a pitch black cloak with a hood over its head, making it impossible to discern a feature, even in the bright light of the full moon. When she tried to talk to it, all she got was incomprehensible speech and growling. _

_Panting heavily, she made a turn to her right as she tried to get to safety. But, she knew that it was impossible as the horrible squelching noises and inhuman growling were still upon her. _

_Turning left, she found herself in a darkened alley… a dead end. Frantically shaking her head as tears came into her eyes she turned around, only to find the tall figure already there. Soft, maniacal laughter could be heard coming from the creature as it stumbled through the dingy alley towards her. _

_Eyes wide and full of tears, the whimpering girl backed away from the horrible creature until her leg got caught up in something and she fell down hard on her butt. _

_Crying in pain, she still continued her fruitless attempt to get away from the creature that was about to kill her when something hard and cold hit her back. Knowing that she had reached the end of line, the girl began to sob loudly._

_"Please… I beg you… don't kill me… please, I'm begging you!" she cried, looking up at the shadowy figure, trying in vain to get to it. It still approached her, not relenting in its purpose of bringing an end to her life. The inhuman cackling began to grow louder and louder. _

_"No, no, no, no, no, no… NO PLEASE NO! OH GOD PLEASE NO!" she screamed, grasping her face and shaking it horribly. It had to be a dream. It just had to be. She stopped cold when the thing was just a few feet away from her. She looked up and saw the most horrifying sight she could imagine. A pair of blood-red, soulless eyes gazing back at her with no remorse, burning through her soul. _

_"NOOOOOOOOOO!"_

…

Erza shot up from her bed, cold sweat dripping from her forehead. She was surprised. The only nightmares she ever had were about that horrible place she could not mention and losing Natsu. But not this… she never had anything like this before. One minute, she was in total darkness… in the next, she was witnessing a horrible murder. She couldn't explain that dream. All that she knew was that it was just a dream.

Noticing the small rays of sunlight peeking through her curtains, Erza shook her head softly, remembering the match she had set up with Draxnor today. It was almost time for the anticipated bout between Erza "Titania" Scarlet, the strongest woman in Fairy Tail, and Draxnor Hellion, the powerful new recruit. She still couldn't quite figure out why, but deep in her mind, she knew that this battle was going to be an unforgettable one. Something about Draxnor just screamed total power, and she wanted to test that power… see it for herself.

She then remembered how easily she had opened up to him about her little crush on Natsu. She mentally smacked herself. How could she have done that? Sure, he promised not to tell anyone about it, and he seemed rather sincere, but still… the guy was a total stranger, yet she told him one of her secrets. Did the guy cast a spell on her? No, she would've felt it. She had dealt with those kinds of spells before, so she knew the effects and sensations they caused on her.

Pushing her mental reprimands away, she jumped off her bed, showered in record time, requipped into her Heart Kreuz Armor, her blue skirt and boots and sped out of her room.

"Hey Erza!" called out one of the girls, but she was ignored by Erza as she sped down the stairs.

"Erza, what's got you in such a hurry?" asked Laki, one of the residents in Fairy Hills. Erza stopped and looked over at her. She had her short lavender hair down like always, her square glasses pressed near her eyes, a white coat extending below her waist, a red cravat tie tied to her collar, and tight, dark pants tucked in her boots.

"I've got a match today," replied Erza quickly, making her way to the door.

"Wa-Wait… What? With who?" inquired Laki, thoroughly confused.

"Come and see," Erza replied simply.

"Don't you have to feed your stomach before that?" asked Laki.

"There's no time! The guild hall is about to open and the match is set right at that time! I don't want to be late!" Erza nearly shouted. "Besides, I think the match is going to be really fast-paced, so eating right now might not be a good thing."

"Alright, alright, no need to get worked up with me. Here, at least feed your stomach with this," muttered Laki, tossing her an energy bar. "I'll be there as soon as I finish something here! Good luck!"

"Thanks," said Erza softly, nodding. Quickly unwrapping the bar and taking a large bite out of it, Erza made her way out of the apartment complex and took her usual path to get to the guild.

When she got there, she noticed that a small crowd had already gathered near the shore of Lake Scilliora, with a very recognizable tiny old man in the center. What surprised her most, if only slightly, was that Draxnor was already there. This time, he was wearing a tight red spandex t-shirt with black baggy pants and what seemed to be ornamented combat boots. He still had the trench coat on, though.

"Morning, Erza," greeted Makarov over the growing cheers from the members of the guild as she got there.

"Good morning, Master," replied Erza. "Morning, Draxnor."

"Good morning, Erza," he replied, nodding.

"Are you both ready?" asked Makarov, taking a few steps back, pointing his two index fingers at the contestants.

"Just a moment, Master," called out Erza. "Draxnor, are you perhaps… a swordsman?"

"Swordsman? Yeah," he replied. "Just give me a moment."

He raised his right hand and grabbed the left side of his trench coat. As he yanked it, flames began to invade the coat and surround Draxnor, rendering him invisible. Everyone in the crowd gasped and took a few steps back, watching as the intense flames swirled around their newest recruit like a tornado.

"Everyone, come over to my side!" commanded Makarov, gesturing for the other guild members to get away from the shore of the lake. "This might get a little intense."

And he seemed to be correct, as the already intense flames began to increase in size and heat. Suddenly, though, the flames disappeared, shocking everyone. There stood Draxnor, unharmed and unfazed by the flames, with his trench coat gone, his red shirt gone as well, revealing his very muscular and chiseled upper body, his black baggy pants taking on blood-red flaming designs on the legs, a pair of black fingerless fighting gloves on his hands and a blood-red sash appearing around his waist. His ornamented combat boots remained the same.

The first thing Erza noticed apart from his chiseled body was a pair of two large diagonal scars on his chest and abdomen: one beginning near his left shoulder and going all the way down to his right oblique, the other beginning just below his left pectoral muscle and going down to his right leg beyond the pants. After a little while, everyone else noticed the scars and gawked at them.

"How did you get those scars?" asked Erza, pointing her finger at Draxnor's chest, asking the question running through everyone's mind.

"The scars? I got these souvenirs from a dragon I fought eight years ago. He gave me these scars, while I managed to take away the claws that did the dirty work," replied Draxnor, smiling. Through the corner of his eyes, Draxnor saw everyone's jaw drop. Erza stared at him in shock as well. She never could've imagined that the new recruit was powerful enough to trade blows with a dragon, one of the most, if not _the most powerful _species of magical creature in existence, and that was eight years ago! How powerful could this man be today? Even Master Makarov was shocked senseless by this little bit of information.

"E-E-EHHHHHH?!"

"You're a Dragon Slayer?!" shouted one of the members of the crowd. Draxnor shook his head.

"Well… no matter. Let's get this over with," called out Erza. **"Requip!"**

Erza's body was surrounded by an almost blinding yellow that increased in brightness as she extended her arms away from her. A red pulse of magical energy escaped from her as the bright yellow light began to fade away, revealing Erza in her **Flame Empress Armor**.

Draxnor eyed the armor with interest, from her scarlet hair tied up in high, long pigtails with clips resembling horns to the dark red, orange and black colored breastplate reminiscent of a one piece swimming suit to the similarly colored dragon-like gauntlets and greaves. The sword she now wielded had a predominantly red blade with black running through its middle and an orange hand guard.

"Can you fly with those?" Draxnor asked, pointing at the dragon-like wings attached to the back of her breastplate.

"No… why?" asked Erza, intrigued. Draxnor sighed. '_Why would he ask such a thing? He can't fly… can he? No, it would be impossible. He has no wings! Maybe he can use __**Take Over Magic **__like Mirajane and Elfman…'_

"Bummer. I was hoping to have an aerial battle with you as well," he said nonchalantly, interrupting her thoughts.

"You can fly?" questioned Erza, sincerely hoping it weren't true. True, she had some armors that granted her the ability to fly, but they were only for short distances and short amounts of time, not for prolonged use.

"You'll see," Draxnor smirked, all but confirming it. Erza tensed up as he threw his right hand away from his body and almost closed it, as if he were wielding something. Then, fire began to sprout from his hands, taking the shape of a large split blade. Once the flames died away, everyone got a good look at the very demonic blade he held in his hands. The blade was mostly pitch black in color, with black devil wings with three red spikes pointing towards the blade and a blood-red orb right in the middle of the blade surrounded by the sharp upper canines of two skulls for a hand guard, intricate blood-red designs that ran throughout the entirety of the wide blade, giving it a very menacing appearance.

"Meet my blade, Erza Scarlet… the **Eternal Damnation**," called out Draxnor, who brought his right foot back, pointed his left palm at her, and brought his sword down, nearly touching the floor with its tip.

"It's a good thing I requipped to my **Flame Empress Armor**," Erza muttered to herself. "He seems to be an avid user of **Fire Magic **and **Requip Magic**."

"Now are you ready?" asked Master Makarov, stepping forward once again. The cheering that had died a while ago due to Draxnor's impressive flame show began to erupt at almost extreme levels.

"Yes, Master…"

"I was born ready…"

"Well then…" said Master Makarov, raising his right hand while Erza took her own battle stance.

"BEGIN!"

…

* * *

><p><em><strong>Who will win? Erza or Draxnor? Find out next chapter!<strong>_

_**Now review, review, review!**_

_**Thank you for reading! Until next time! Ciao! **_


	2. Draxnor Hellion vs Erza Scarlet

_**Hello, everyone! **_

_**Here I am with Chapter 2! This chapter is the longest I have put out... yet. But I was just so inspired that it didn't even feel that long.**_

_**The anticipated battle between the rookie, Draxnor, and the S-Class, Erza is about to begin!**_

_**As always, please read and review! I would love to know what y'all think.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, its rights or any of its characters, spells, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima. I only own my OCs, my spells, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " "= **Dialogue**

**Requip " "= Spells and Magical Item Names**

_What? ' ' = _**Thoughts**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: Draxnor Hellion vs. Erza Scarlet<strong>

"BEGIN!"

With a fierce war cry, Erza surrounded her blade in flames and slashed the air, sending her flame slash towards Draxnor. He stayed in his battle stance, not moving a single inch.

**"Force Shield!" **

A small, transparent red sphere appeared in front of his open palm and swelled quickly, surrounding Draxnor just as the flame slash struck. The flames pushed with a mighty force, but they were only repelled and sent around the shield.

Draxnor, noticing the flames dying out, lowered the shield, but could not see Erza through the smoke. Suddenly, she came rushing through about to give an upward diagonal slash.

_'A diversion, huh?' _thought Draxnor as he quickly lifted his blade to block her attack. Their blades met with great force, causing sparks to fly and a small shockwave to be emitted.

"I see. You have good reflexes," commented Erza, smirking. Draxnor smirked back.

She retracted her blade, and began fiercely attacking Draxnor with a combination of upward slashes, downward slashes and horizontal slashes. But none of them hit their mark due to Draxnor swiftly and accurately blocking off her attacks.

_'He's good,' _thought Erza as she continued her fierce assault. _'I have to cause another distraction and get him from behind. Yeah… that should work.'_

As she continued slashing, she began to gather flames on her blade. Draxnor, for what it seemed, hadn't seen through her attack. They both continued slashing at each other, until Erza saw a small opening.

_'There!' _she shouted mentally. She unleashed another flaming slash at point-blank range, engulfing Draxnor. She used the distraction to jump back and over his head. As she landed, she noticed that the flames that were licking at Draxnor had already disappeared, with him emerging totally unharmed, but he was still facing forward, looking for her. She lunged forward and was about to slash his back open, until he blocked her attack with his sword without even looking.

_'How'd he do that?' _thought Erza, surprised. _'Did he know that I was behind him the entire time?'_

Before she could formulate another thought, she felt an elbow sink deep into her gut, causing her to bend over, gasping in pain. Draxnor then turned and hit her chin with a powerful uppercut. Grunting in pain, Erza flew through the air, flipped over, and landed on her feet before falling on one knee.

_'Damn, he got me good,' _she mused, flinching slightly at the pain. _'Maybe he wanted me to do just that…'_

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Draxnor raised his sword up in the air and slashed it, sending a powerful red energy slash at her. Eyes widening, Erza sidestepped the attack before lunging towards him and launching a flaming slash of her own, which he blocked again with another **Force Shield**.

'_What the hell… he's only been on the defensive. What's he playing at?' _thought Erza.

Just as she was thinking that, Draxnor lunged at her with enormous speed, blade ready. Her eyes widening at the marvelous speed he displayed, Erza barely managed to lift her sword in time to block the attack. However, she did not notice the fist coming at her. He landed another powerful blow to her gut, making her gasp in pain and spit out saliva before sending her flying back.

_'Damn… those punches hurt! I have to be more careful!'_ she thought angrily as she landed and inspected her cracking armor. _'If he's that fast, then…' _

**"Requip!" **

Once again, Erza was surrounded by the blinding yellow light as she was changing her armor. When the light vanished, it revealed Erza in her rather skimpy **Flight Armor**.

Eyebrows raised in interest, Draxnor studied the "armor". It was cheetah-themed, with little ears on her head, a rather bushy collar, a breastplate that literally just looked like a bra, revealing black shorts with a belt holding a cloth over her left leg, dark armbands covering her arms with a wrist guard on her left, dark stockings with asymmetric high-heeled boots, with the left one being the taller one with a knee guard on top of it, and what seemed to be a bushy tail hanging from her butt. She now wielded a pair of short swords with hand guards resembling rose thorns.

_'This should do the trick,' _she thought.

She suddenly disappeared, shocking Draxnor. He looked around, trying to find her, until he was met with a fist to the face. He staggered back, trying to regain his lost balance until she slashed his chest, causing blood to squirt slightly. Draxnor growled in pain as he was punched once again in the jaw, causing him to fall on his back.

_'Well, well, it seems she got a lot faster with that skimpy little excuse of an armor,' _he thought as he stood up. Erza was standing right in front of him, breathing slightly heavily as she had her blades ready for another high speed assault.

"Two can play at that game, Erza," said Draxnor, lifting his left fist. Erza narrowed her eyes until she felt it: a rather large magical energy spike coming from Draxnor. A soft, white aura surrounded him as the increasing energy began to manifest itself. Then, he disappeared.

Eyes wide, Erza searched around frantically until she felt the large blade coming right at her from behind. She managed to turn around and block it before jumping back. There stood Draxnor, smirking.

_'Damn, he got fast!' _thought Erza, gritting her teeth. She then smirked.

"Well, this fight is getting interesting," she commented, taking her battle stance.

"Yes, it is," Draxnor agreed, before they both disappeared.

The guild could only see blurs as the powerful warriors decked it out in front of them. Sounds of clashing blades, sparks flying, and visible shockwaves littered throughout the battlefield. The guild members, including Master Makarov, could only watch in total shock as they witnessed a new recruit giving one of their strongest S-Class Mages a run for her money. To the guild, it was nearly impossible to see what was going on in the fight, but for Erza and Draxnor, it was clear as day.

They read each other as they clashed… felt each other's movements, their breathing, and their heartbeats. Both of them smirked as they lunged towards each other at incredible speeds, their blades connecting in a furious dance of steel and sparks. Neither of them seemed to be getting the upper hand in the fight anymore as their speed, technique and strength remained roughly equal. Whenever it seemed that one of them was about to take the upper hand, the other would counter it with a surprising move of their own.

They stopped their relentless assault for a moment to gather their breaths. Both of the warriors looked at each other with contented smirks as they readied their next move in their minds. Erza acted first as she lunged at him with speed higher than before.

**"Sonic Claw!"**

Erza began slashing at Draxnor from all directions so fast that Draxnor couldn't keep up, receiving slashes on his shoulders, arms, abdomen, back and legs, blood splattering on his body. He was sent skidding backwards, picking up dust as he went until he stopped, but he didn't fall. His chest heaving as he growled softly in pain, Draxnor closed his eyes.

"You actually managed to stay on your feet after that attack. I'm really impressed," said Erza.

"Trust me… you haven't… seen… anything yet," Draxnor heaved, smiling. He then stabbed his sword to the ground, lifted his open palm and pointed it at her. "While it may seem that you have the upper hand… it's not at all like that."

"What?" asked Erza, confused. He was bleeding profusely from almost every part of his body and his clothes were tattered and cut… how was it not like she had the upper hand? Because, according to her, she clearly had the upper hand. He was bleeding all over, while she wasn't bleeding at all. Was he bluffing?

"Let's get physical… shall we?" Draxnor proposed, bending his ring finger. Erza was about to lunge and slash him when he apparently left himself wide open, but she froze when her swords didn't budge.

"What the…"

Suddenly, the swords were yanked from her hands and stabbed into the ground meters away from her.

_'__**Telekinesis**__? Great, what else does he have?' _thought Erza, impatiently taking her battle stance.

**"Flaming Barrage!"**

Suddenly, Draxnor was upon her, his fists on fire. He delivered a flurry of punches from apparently all directions that she barely dodged, some of them licking her bare skin, burning her. She winced in pain as she began to return some of the punches, some of them being blocked while some hit their mark.

_'Crap. These are like Natsu's punches… only a lot stronger…' _thought Erza, barely avoiding a flaming fist to her left breast.

**"Black Armament!"**

There it was… the spell she wanted to see. She watched carefully through her evasion as the flames disappeared from his fists and were replaced by the solid black color she saw yesterday. However, she couldn't get much of a good look as one of his fists managed to land straight in her gut again. She bent over, screaming in pain as blood left her mouth. Somehow, the fist felt inhuman, as if the skin had become many times harder than normal. She was sent rocketing backwards until she crashed into the ground.

Coughing blood, Erza sat up and rubbed her stomach. That punch felt worse than the other blows he landed on her. Even the fiery ones paled in comparison to this one.

"What the hell is that?" she managed to say coherently through her coughing.

"**Black Armament**, a spell that hardens your body to levels beyond the finest suits of armor. As an added bonus, the physical strength of the user is doubled, with no loss in speed. As you can see, a great spell for both offensive and defensive purposes," explained Draxnor as he made his way towards her, his black arms returning to their normal color.

"I see…" Erza muttered, thinking about a strategy she could use to counter that virtually undefeatable spell. She then got an idea.

'_Yeah, that would probably work,' _she thought proudly.

**"Requip!"**

For the third time this morning, Erza was surrounded by the bright yellow light as she changed into another armor. When the light vanished, Erza appeared in her **Black Wing Armor**.

This armor resembled an actual armor a lot more than her **Flight Armor**, with large shoulder pads composed of two silver-edged plates one over the other decorated with silver crosses flanking her high collar and gem-imbued neck guard, a silver-edged breastplate that still exposed quite a bit of her cleavage and stomach with plates extending all the way down to her large waist guard, which was composed of large plates decorated with silver crosses surrounding her lower body but still leaving the front part of her groin exposed, which was covered with a dark imbuement. She had silver patterned slim gauntlets and silver-edged plates guarding her thighs and knees ending with pitch black greaves. Large bat-like wings adorned the back of her breastplate, and she had her hair tied up in a high ponytail with two bangs framing her face.

The sword, however, had a slightly more intricate and interesting design compared to her armor. It was a multicolored purple and silver blade with two red gems spread apart equally among the blade with a brown hilt and golden hand guard.

_'Time to fly…' _thought Erza as she spread her wings and pointed her sword at Draxnor. He, however, just stood there, immobile.

"So you _can_ fly, eh?" Draxnor asked, smirking at this new development. "Very well then… Let's dance…"

Erza responded by jumping up high into the air and raising her sword ready for an attack. The only thing was that she didn't get close to him.

**"Moon Flash!"**

She suddenly rushed towards him and slashed in a cross pattern, releasing light blue energy slashes that shot towards Draxnor, who smirked and crossed his forearms in front of his chest.

**"Black Armament!"**

His arms turned black once again as the slash struck him with a massive amount of force, sending him skidding backwards along with it. He unleashed a war cry as he focused on holding the slash, but he did not notice Erza coming back at him from behind.

His eyes widened in surprise as he felt her sword slashing his back, feeling blood flowing out of the fresh wound. He roared in pain as the **Moon Flash **overcame him and crashed onto him, shaking the battlefield and lifting a huge amount of dust. Erza flew out of the dust and landed meters away from it, breathing heavily. She stared at the dust cloud, trying to see if there was any movement from Draxnor since his cry of pain had already died out. Nothing…

She was about to chant victory when she felt something insanely sharp graze the left side of her stomach, cutting through her armor and ripping through flesh. She cried in pain as blood flowed out and she noticed the culprit that caused her newest wound: Draxnor's **Eternal Damnation**. She hadn't taken into account the fact that he had stabbed the damn blade into the ground a few minutes ago and that he could use **Telekinesis **to call it to his side anytime he wanted. Wincing in pain, she studied her wound. While there was a good amount of blood flowing out, the wound didn't seem too deep for it to be considered a threat. She could still fight.

Chuckling could be heard through the clearing dust cloud, snapping Erza's attention from her wound. Her eyes widened considerably when two incredibly large red energy slashes facing opposite diagonal directions popped out of the dust, racing and slashing the ground beneath towards her. She managed to jump out of the way with added help from her wings as the attacks raced by her, barely missing her. The dust cloud suddenly dispersed, revealing Draxnor surrounded by his **Force Shield**.

_'Damn… that was close… _too _close,'_ thought Erza as she straightened her posture.

"You got me good, Erza. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that. But no matter… this fight is barely starting to get real good, and I have no plans of stopping until I beat you," stated Draxnor, grinning.

Draxnor's sword suddenly burst into flames, surprising Erza. After a little while, they disappeared along with the blade. Then, Draxnor crouched and crossed his forearms in front of him. With a piercing roar, he began to power up, red magical energy swirling around him. Erza could only watch in shock as she felt his energy climbing higher and higher to unforeseen levels. The ground began to crack and shake violently and harsh gusts of wind picked up massive amounts of dust, covering him completely. Even though she could not see him, she knew that he was still there, due to the fact that the swirling red vortex of energy increased in width and height as the ground shook ever more violently.

The swirling vortex of energy kept on growing until it enveloped her. Instantly, she felt the air leave her body as immense amounts of pressure were applied to her from all directions. Struggling to breathe, Erza tried to get away, but she just couldn't. She felt like a helpless little girl in ironclad chains under deep water, struggling to move, losing her breath, and sinking slowly.

Suddenly, just as the energy enveloped her and nearly took all of her breath away, it disappeared, along with the harsh winds and the violent earthquake. Erza stood there with bated breath as the dust cloud began to slowly clear. A sharp, crackling sound rang throughout the tense silence. When the dust cleared, Erza's eyes widened as far as they could go at the sight. Draxnor stood there, a blazing red aura, more majestic and powerful than anything she had ever seen before, swirling around him and sharp, crackling blue electricity occasionally appearing over his entire body. He slowly walked towards her, a wide smile on his face.

"Now, let's get the _real _fight started," he spoke softly with a very menacing tone. Shivers ran down Erza's spine. Just how powerful had the man gotten? She felt the immense magical pressure, and she couldn't believe it. But there it was. Draxnor Hellion, the new recruit of the Fairy Tail Guild, was now unleashing more power than Erza "Titania" Scarlet, one of the S-Class Mages. It was impossible… It had to be… There was no possible way for him to have so much power. Then again, he managed to wound a dragon, a virtually indestructible force of magic and nature.

Erza gritted her teeth, trying to think of a way to somehow win this fight. She couldn't lose this fight… she just couldn't. Her pride as the strongest woman in Fairy Tail and one of the S-Class Mages was on the line. She couldn't let the new guy besmirch her reputation. She had promised Natsu that she would never lose to anyone… only to _him_. She gripped her blade tighter than before and took on a battle stance.

"Let's begin…"

…

Shocked… Stupefied… Horrified…

Those were some of the words that could be used to describe how the guild felt at watching this fight. It was as if two gods of war were unleashed upon this world to battle each other for ultimate supremacy. They just couldn't believe what was going on. The most the guild had expected from this fight was a short scuffle that ended with Erza taking the victory as always. But what they got was entirely different. Both wizards were terribly wounded… well, Draxnor mostly… and the fight just kept going and going with no end in the vicinity.

Then, to make things worse, Draxnor had begun to truly let out. It seemed that in their initial round he was holding back as if to test the waters of Erza "Titania" Scarlet. Now, he had unleashed the monster within, power flowing out with such force that the ground began to crumble and shake at its might. Even the air itself seemed to run away as gale force winds struck them and the guild hall, nearly blowing them away. And to add to a seemingly endless list of amazing things they saw in this short morning, when Draxnor finished powering up, he had a blazing red aura swirling around him with blue electricity crackling just above his body, creating a sight to behold and remember. Yup, it seemed that this morning was full of surprises, and it still wasn't done.

Master Makarov was very amazed at Draxnor's abilities, but he was also worried. The kid had a lot more power than he let on at the beginning, and the master had a fleeting suspicion that they haven't even scraped the surface of Draxnor's abilities. The prospect of that terrified him.

"Hmmmm…"

"Is there something wrong, Master?" asked Mirajane, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh… nothing, my dear… nothing," he replied. By then, the entire guild had turned to face him as Erza and Draxnor were now having a small conversation they could not hear.

"Master, your face is clearly saying the opposite. Tell us! We also would like to know what you're thinking about this fight!" insisted Mirajane.

"Yeah, come on, Master! Tell us!" added Levy.

Soon after, the collective shouts of the guild began to ring around him as they all pushed to get out what was on their master's mind. A tick mark appearing on his forehead, Master Makarov finally relented and opted for telling them.

"Alright, alright! Shut up, brats! I'll tell you," he said, slightly irritated, earning a collective whoop from the guild. "I fear that Erza is going to lose this one…"

It took a few seconds for his words to finally sink into the guild's rampant minds. Once they did, they all adopted looks of horror on their faces.

_'Erza is going to lose this one…'_

"EEEEEHHHHHHH?!"

"That can't be true, Master!"

"Tell us you're joking!"

"You have a great sense of humor, Master!"

"That's a good one, Master! You almost had us there!"

When they saw his unchanged expression, they all paled.

"You're… being… serious?"

He nodded, making them pale even more.

"No way…"

"It's not possible, Master…"

"Yeah, no way in Hell is Erza going to lose…"

"Yeah, especially to the newbie!"

"The old man's right… that weakling Erza is definitely going to lose…" sneered a new voice. Everyone turned around to see and probably rant at the owner of the voice. However, none of them did after they saw who it was.

Spiked up blond hair with a few hairs running down his forehead, gray eyes, distinctive lightning-shaped scar on his right eye, a mocking smile, spiked magical headphones playing Rock 'n' Roll on his ears, tall and well-built with a leopard-themed orange long-sleeve shirt with wine-red pants and white shoes, and a long black coat with a gray fur lining draped over his shoulders like a cape… Laxus Dreyar had appeared.

"Laxus! That's not very nice!" reprimanded Mirajane indignantly.

"Wow, old man… for once, I agree with you!" Laxus smirked, totally ignoring Mirajane's reprimand. She huffed in annoyance and turned around, muttering "he'll never learn" under her breath.

"Hey, Laxus…" said Master Makarov, rubbing his forehead. He did not need another headache from his stubborn, arrogant grandson… not right now.

"Where did you get this guy? For once, you actually recruited someone decently strong into this guild of weaklings!" commented Laxus. "To actually beat the crap out of Erza, that's a feat of its own… even if it isn't much in the first place."

"Laxus, what are you even doing here in the first place?" asked Makarov, seemingly annoyed.

"Well, nothing old man… I just came to tell you that I saw a little blue thing fly to the second floor and steal an S-Class Request, that's all. Oh, but you already know that, don't you?" snickered Laxus, shrugging his shoulders and laughing slightly afterwards.

Master Makarov's eyes widened. Of course he knew that one of the S-Class Requests went missing… it was Happy, Natsu's little blue flying cat friend that did it. And most likely, Lucy had tagged along with that job. But he had already sent Gray to stop them and get them back by any means necessary. It seems that didn't work… Damn it… another headache he wanted to forget right now.

"Little… blue… thing…" stuttered Mirajane before gasping loudly. "Oh no, that's Happy! You mean Natsu's going on an S-Class Quest?!"

"That thing was that idiot Natsu's? Ha ha, what a dumbass!" laughed Laxus. "Yeah, and probably that hot new blond partner of his is with him, too!"

"Oh, no…" gasped Mirajane shakily as she put her hands over her mouth. However, she soon angered and gave Laxus a death glare.

"Why didn't you stop him?!" she screamed, jabbing a finger at him.

"How the hell was I supposed to know that little fur ball belonged to that pink-haired idiot, huh?" he retorted, a mocking smirk on his face. Mirajane angrily turned towards Master Makarov, who had his eyes closed.

"Master?" she asked, trying her best to remain calm. "Did you know this already?"

When he didn't answer, she pressed on impatiently, "Did you?!"

Opening his eyes, Master Makarov replied, "Yes, I did, Mira… I knew that Natsu stole one of the S-Class Requests…"

"Why didn't you stop him?!" she screamed again.

"Because when I found out, it was already long gone!" he retorted back loudly, losing his patience slightly. "I sent Gray to bring them back by any means necessary, but I guess that didn't work… Just make sure that Erza doesn't find out after this fight is over. She's going to want to go get them back, but she will be in no condition to do so…"

"Then why don't you stop the fight?" asked Mirajane heatedly, now showing concern for her longtime rival.

"Because she asked me not to! She told me that she wanted to know the full extent of Draxnor's power, and she was prepared to do anything to do so! And frankly, I am also very interested in finding out the extent of his power. But something tells me that this fight won't be enough… something tells me that we haven't even scraped the surface of that brat's powers," Makarov explained, his voice loud until it gradually descended into cryptic softness.

"So you're basically going to let her die to find out about his power?!" screeched Mirajane.

"Of course not! She knows when to admit defeat, no matter how stubborn she is! And I know Draxnor has no killing intent!" Makarov yelled back.

"Can't you feel the amount of magical energy he's releasing, Master?!" asked Mirajane, who was now being held back by Elfman, albeit futilely. "It's enormous!"

"I can feel it, Mira! I'm not a senile old man yet!" Makarov retorted.

"You're not that far…" Laxus muttered to himself and smirked shortly after that.

The argument seemed to never end, with the guild almost growing tired of it. However, a massive energy spike did the impossible.

**"1000 Flames of Hell!" **

From the sky rained a rainbow-colored barrage of flames towards the shore of the lake, where Erza most likely was. Just when the flames touched, a massive rainbow-colored explosion ensued, shaking the ground down to its very core. Harsh gusts of wind blew past the guild members as they shielded themselves from them and the added dust. When the dust and smoke cleared, a huge crater was left in its wake, with water from the lake already beginning to flow in. Horrified, the guild looked over at the potential resting place of their Titania.

"ERZA!"

Mirajane cover her mouth with her hands as tears began to escape from her eyes.

"Oh no…"

…

Draxnor eyed the massive crater he caused, his blazing red aura and blue electricity still surrounding him, searching through the smoke for any signs of his scarlet-haired opponent. He knew that she had evaded the attack. He could still sense her magical energy somewhere down there, lurking in the clearing darkness the smoke and dust presented. He had not intended on leaving such a large crater, for it was now slowly filling up with the lake's water.

Agonizingly long minutes passed, but he could still not find Erza. Where the hell was she hiding?

Then, he felt it… something coming up from behind him. He turned around to see what it was, only to be met by a massive blow, courtesy of a large black mace. Roaring in pain as he spat out blood, Draxnor was thrown towards the ground with incredible force and was met with an earth-shattering crash.

Erza landed a good distance away from the cloud of dust the shrouded his crash site, panting heavily. She frantically tried to process what just happened a few minutes before she struck him with her mace.

All she saw was a bright orb of rainbow-colored flames forming in the sky after he had finished powering up and disappeared suddenly. She marveled at the speed he now boasted, but he didn't give her enough time to process it as the massively powerful attack was already onto her. After that, all she remembered was a massive rainbow-colored explosion, a ton of dust in the air, a crater big enough to hold the entire guild hall snugly, and water flowing in from the lake.

Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind and focusing on the task at hand, she scrutinized the dust cloud until it cleared, revealing Draxnor walking towards her slowly, the blazing aura and electricity still surrounding him, smiling. She cringed at what she saw. Blood was flowing down the right side of his face over his eye, and coming out both sides of his mouth. Added with all the cuts he had received from her earlier assaults, he sported a rather gruesome appearance. Yet he still kept on walking towards her as if nothing had happened, smiling widely… a smile that sent horrible shivers down her spine. He looked positively monstrous… almost demonic…

She couldn't believe it one bit. She had struck him right on his head with her mace, but he had just brushed it off like it was nothing but a small tap. She couldn't think of anyone strong enough to withstand such a blow to the head with that mace, except perhaps Master Makarov and a few of the members, Natsu included. But even they, with the probable exception of Master Makarov, would actually be struggling to maintain themselves on their feet after the attack, not strolling towards her casually. But here was Draxnor, doing just that. It almost terrified her…

Draxnor, on the other hand, studied her new armor closely as he walked towards her. It was a total change from her other armors. This one looked like something an acquaintance of his would gladly wear. The breastplate was like a short metallic dress, with dark slate being the dominant color with a bit of gray trimming. She had what it seemed to be a necklace of small, black diamond-shaped jewels and a horn protruding from the left side of her head. The shoulder guards were gray with a large spike protruding from both of them. The arm guards were similar, a weaving pattern coursing through them with the spikes getting progressively smaller the closer they got to the wrists. Her thigh-length greaves were similar to her arm guards, with a weaving pattern and the spikes beginning at her knees, getting progressively smaller the closer they were to her feet.

What took the cake, though, was her oversized mace. The mace was larger than her, gray with six black spikes, starting off large close to the middle of the mace and getting smaller as they reached the hook end of it.

"What's the name of that armor?" asked Draxnor, pointing at her, still keeping that rather creepy smile.

"T-This?" she stuttered slightly. _'Damn it, Erza! Get it together!'_

"Yeah… that," he confirmed.

"Oh… this is my **Purgatory Armor**, one of the strongest armors in my arsenal," she explained, brandishing her mace. "This armor provides the same benefits as your **Black Armament**, doubling my physical strength and giving me great defensive capabilities. What's more, this armor gives me a large boost in my speed… not as much as my **Flight Armor**, but close enough…"

"Well, well… it seems you've been holding back… like me…" muttered Draxnor softly, smirking. However, Erza managed to catch what he said.

"You've been holding back even more of your power?" she nearly screeched.

"Oh, yeah… you have no idea…" he smirked, taking a battle stance. "But enough of the petty talk… let's get down to business…"

He lunged at her, a fierce war cry escaping his lips and his right fist held back. Erza responded by lifting her mace in front of her in a defensive position. When he was about to throw his punch, Erza ducked and swung her mace upward, aiming to decimate him with that single blow. However, Draxnor blocked the mace with just his left hand, twisted and landed a powerful kick to her side. She grunted in pain as he pushed the mace into the ground, effectively pinning it for a moment. He then proceeded to yank the mace from her right hand, but she hit him in the face with her left fist just in the nick of time. He bent in the direction of her strike, but he managed to land another powerful kick to her gut. Gasping in pain, both combatants skidded away from each other, Erza losing her mace and breathing heavily while Draxnor only smiled.

_'Why the hell does he keep smiling?! Is he mocking me?!'_ shouted Erza in her mind.

Both of them rushed at each other and jumped at the same time, fists outstretched. They met in the air, unleashing a powerful shockwave. Erza unleashed a flurry of punches as they both descended into the ground, with Draxnor reciprocating most of them, still that increasingly detestable smile on his face.

"Stop mocking me!" she shouted as she tried to land a kick into his gut, only to be blocked by his right hand.

"I'm not, Erza… I'm only enjoying this fight. I am especially enjoying this new armor of yours. It really hits my sweet spot, and it fits you quite nicely," he commented, sounding as sincere as he could in the middle of the bout.

"Uh… Thanks… I have to say… this is one of my favorite armors as well…" she said, smiling as they landed. Once they did, they both gave a roundhouse kick that met right in between them, and then they jumped away from each other.

"There you go, Erza…" Draxnor said suddenly, stopping her in her tracks as she prepared to attack him.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"The smile…" he replied. "We're not trying to kill each other. Even though it may seem like that with all the blood we have spilled, this is just an all-out spar. I really do hope you are enjoying this fight as much as I am. So let's just focus on enjoying this match…"

"I see… Very well, let's," she said as she lunged towards her mace. She landed not so far away from it, skidding with her right hand outstretched. She gripped the mace as she continued skidding, lifted it and threw it at Draxnor with a roar.

Draxnor lunged towards the mace, throwing his right hand out, the familiar sword-spawning flames appearing. Before the mace hit, Draxnor swung his newly formed sword with great ferocity and hit the mace away before landing and lunging once again towards Erza.

He jabbed the sword at her as he arrived, but she managed to smack the blade away before it impaled her with her left hand and threw a punch at him with her right. However, her fist never met its mark, for he grabbed it with his left hand. She threw another punch with her left hand but he blocked it with his right knee. He then brought his other knee up and slammed her gut with it, causing her to bend over, gasping in pain as she coughed out blood. His next move, however, proved to be more devastating than anything he had done before, except perhaps his **1000 Flames of Hell**.

Draxnor grabbed her wrist as it fell to her side along and forced her to remain standing. He pulled his right fist behind him and kept it there, dropping his sword to the ground. Erza locked eyes with him, trying to discern his next move.

"What are you doing?" she asked, coughing slightly.

"Isn't it obvious, Erza? I'm ending this fight…" he replied, clenching his fist harder.

"W-What do you mean?" she demanded, still not grasping the predicament she was in. He wanted to answer, but resorted to just showing her what he meant.

**"Black Force Armament!" **

Erza watched with teeth gritted in nervousness as his right arm became that dreaded solid black color. However, that was not the only thing that happened. His fist was then surrounded by a transparent red sphere that suddenly began to bubble violently, as if it were boiling.

_'What is this? I've never felt such unstable energy before!' _thought Erza frantically.

The red sphere began to take on liquid properties as little slivers of the boiling energy began to overflow and fall to the ground. Burning hot steam emanated from the orb and the ground just below it. Erza frantically tried to yank her arm away from him, but to no avail… his grip was just too strong. She wanted to punch him with her left hand, but she knew that he was going to block with that sphere. Unpleasant thoughts invaded her mind about the possible effects of that thing. She kicked a few times but he kept on blocking her with _his _legs. He then jumped over her feet, pinning her there.

She was trapped… there was no escape. No matter how hard she struggled to yank her fist and her legs away from him, she always failed. Things just seemed to get worse when the sphere expanded and took the shape of his arm. Now his entire arm was surrounded by this boiling energy, and she was going to be on the receiving end of it.

"Oh no…"

**"Oblivion Fist!" **

Draxnor delivered the devastating blow to her gut, instantly breaking through her powerful armor and sinking into her flesh. A soundless scream of pain escaped Erza's lips as she doubled over, eyes as wide as they could go and blood coming out of her mouth. She could feel almost every bone in her body break under the pressure of the massively powerful blow. However, her nightmare was only beginning, for she could feel the flesh of her stomach burn with the heat the boiling energy produced.

Erza unleashed an ear-splitting scream of torturous pain as the immense amount of unneeded heat invaded the rest of her already broken body. Agonizingly long seconds passed with his scorching hot fist buried in her belly, feeling like if her skin was about to melt at any moment. She couldn't take it anymore. She felt like she was going to die from the indescribable pain. Just when she was about to scream for him to stop, he removed the fist from her gut, the **Black Force Armament **dissipating. He moved closer to her ear as he descended to the ground, his left arm wrapped around her waist and supporting her back. She then faintly felt his muscular leg on her upper back. Darkness was beginning to claim her as she felt her consciousness slip.

The seemingly impossible happened. After a long, arduous fight, Draxnor did as he said. He ended the fight… He beat her. Draxnor Hellion, the newest recruit of the Fairy Tail Guild… had defeated her, the mighty Erza Scarlet…

…

When Erza had emerged from the large dust cloud unharmed after Draxnor's extremely powerful attack, the guild in its entirety couldn't help but sigh heavily in relief at the fact that their Titania was still with them and ready for more. And to make things better, she was now in her **Purgatory Armor**, one of her strongest armors. Now Draxnor was in for a treat Erza style. The crowd cheered and whooped at Erza as she sailed up into the air behind a floating Draxnor… Wait… a floating… Draxnor…

"E-E-EHHHHHHH?!"

The crowd screamed together for the umpteenth time as another amazing thing graced their eyes. Draxnor was up in the air… He was flying… without the assistance of anything… no wings, no rocket-propelled shoes… Amazement and curiosity crept into the minds of everyone watching as they wondered just how Draxnor was able to maintain himself in the air. Maybe it had to do with that blazing red godlike aura that was surrounding him. Maybe it had to do with the pure blue electricity crackling just above his skin. Maybe…

Erza smashed her overly large mace on Draxnor's head, sending him reeling to the ground. Everyone, even Laxus, who for some reason stayed to watch the fight, cringed at that. Draxnor was surely going to feel that tomorrow morning… scratch that, _right now_. Everyone cringed again when Draxnor crashed, but began cheering when Erza landed a few meters away from the dust cloud that had emerged.

When Draxnor didn't emerge from the cloud, people began to call Erza's victory. Others couldn't help but agree. This was Erza they were talking about. She would win no matter what. They had to give Draxnor credit, though. Not many people actually managed to push Erza to this level, not even Natsu… and _that_ was saying something. But still, Erza won, and that was what mattered.

"It seems you were wrong, Master Makarov…"

"Told ya Erza would win! She's undefeatable!"

"Wahoo! Erza won!"

"It's great that Erza won, but… damn, that Draxnor packs a punch!"

"Who cares? Erza won!"

"Draxnor fought like a REAL MAN! But it wasn't enough…"

"Seriously, Elfman?"

However, their cries of Erza's victory were abruptly silenced when Draxnor emerged from the dust cloud, beaten and bloody, but smiling. The man was _smiling_. It was at this point that some people began to have small doubts about his mental health. Was he _insane_? Why would he still be smiling when he was _that_ injured? To some it did not make any sense. Either Draxnor was super powerful or he was just plain loco.

"Aw, man… I told ya before… he gives me the creeps…"

"That smile… it's different from his others…"

"Scary…"

"He's not scary! He's a REAL MAN!"

"DAMN IT, ELFMAN! WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP WITH THAT?!"

"Wow… such a strong man! I'm so glad I asked him out on a date…"

"Yeah, Cana, lucky you…"

Their comments were interrupted when they heard Draxnor roar and lunge at Erza, his fist raised. When Erza swung her mace at him, they thought that she was going to land a direct blow… but he blocked it with his left hand. What a surprise. Slowly, the guild wasn't getting as surprised anymore at Draxnor's awesome stunts. However, they _were_ surprised when he landed a kick after being socked in the face by Erza.

"Master, how long are they going to go at it?" asked Mirajane, who was smiling tearfully after seeing that Erza emerged safe.

"I don't know, Mira, my dear. But one thing I do tell you… I can see that they're getting tired… Erza mostly," replied Master Makarov.

"I'm starting to doubt that guy's strength already… I mean, is he really having such a hard time dealing with that weakling Erza? I would've wiped the floor with her already," Laxus said mockingly.

"Laxus!" cried Mirajane indignantly.

"Well, this fight got pretty boring, so I'm going inside…" continued Laxus, ignoring Mirajane and walking away.

"Good riddance…" muttered Mirajane.

"Miiraaa…"

"Y-Yes, M-Master?"

"Hey, what's going on over there?"

"Yeah, why isn't Erza moving?"

"And why is Draxnor's fist surrounded by… oh crap, do you feel that?"

"Yeah… so unstable…"

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Why is his magical energy so unstable?" muttered Makarov to himself.

**"Oblivion Fist!"**

Then they heard it… Erza's uninhibited scream of pain as Draxnor seemingly plunged whatever magical concoction he had come up with into her stomach. Looks of unadulterated horror and fear spread across the guild members' faces as they heard one of their strongest scream with such agony… agony they would not even wish on their worst enemies. Suddenly, she stopped screaming. Fearing the worst, the entire guild rushed to the scene.

"ERZA!"

…

"ERZA!"

"Don't worry, Erza. You're not going to die. I have the perfect potion that'll have up and running in no time," Draxnor whispered reassuringly. "It might not be the tastiest thing in the world, but it'll do the trick."

"Y-Y-You do?" she gasped, managing to stay conscious, her breathing completely ragged and labored.

"ERZA!"

"Of course, Erza. Here, let me get it for you," he replied, raising his arm, his palm facing the sky. Suddenly, they were surrounded by the vortex of flames, but instead of burning like that hellish fist, they felt warm and tingly. They felt safe.

She noticed that the clothes that Draxnor was wearing the night before appeared on him as some of the flames surrounding him settled on his bloody body. His sword burst into flames and disappeared. After his clothes had appeared and his sword vanished, though, the vortex didn't disappear, as she expected it to do. Instead, the flames kept on swirling around them, bathing them in light and heat.

"Draxnor…" Erza wheezed. "Why aren't the flames…"

"Shhhh," hushed Draxnor, placing his index finger on his lips. He then dug into one of the pockets in his coat and pulled out a small, cone-shaped vial with a glossy black liquid inside of it. "Here… the potion I said would cure everything."

"W-What is t-t-this?" she asked shakily, gasping for air as she took the vial.

"I call it the **Spiritual Mastermind Potion**… it's one of my specialties," Draxnor explained. Erza opened her mouth to ask another question, but he quieted her with a finger to her lips. "Before you ask… this potion has the ability to heal all physical wounds, no matter how harsh they are, and restore your magical energy up to its maximum. To tell you the truth, you get what I call an "Energy High", where your magical energy is literally unlimited, but that only lasts for about 10 to 15 minutes, and it only happens _after_ you have fully recovered, which usually takes from an hour to about six depending on the severity of your injuries."

"ERZA!"

"Really?" asked Erza, eyeing the vial in disbelief. That didn't last long, though, as she began to cough up more blood.

"Enough explanations, Erza. Drink it before you _really_ die," urged Draxnor. He sure as hell did not want _that _to happen…

Nodding, Erza popped out the little cork and chugged the entire contents of the vial. She nearly regretted doing that as an incredibly foul flavor invaded her mouth, making her instantly nauseous. He was right… the thing tasted horrible beyond description. She turned to Draxnor while coughing, only to see him with an amused expression. She tried to give him the best death glare she could in her current conditions, but that didn't do anything.

However, she instantly felt some of the effects of the potion as she felt her bones began to re-mend, albeit painfully, and her superficial wounds began to seal shut. Hell, she even felt some of her magical energy returning, flowing through her body, giving her an intense refreshing feeling. That, coupled with the warmth of the vortex that _still hadn't disappeared_, made her feel _really _good.

"Now, all you need to do is rest for about an hour or two and you'll be a-okay," piped up Draxnor, winking at her.

"Thanks, Draxnor…"

"For what?" he asked.

"For allowing me to challenge you to an all-out sparring match, and for treating my wounds," she replied, locking eyes with him.

"Ah, no need to worry… you wanted to see my power, right? I did not want to disappoint my superior," said Draxnor, looking away and smiling.

"Superior? But… you defeated me in battle…" said Erza, confused.

"I may have done that, but you clearly expressed that you weren't using your full power… and trust me, what I've shown you hasn't even scraped the surface of what I _can_ do. Anyway, you're an S-Class Mage, while I'm just the new recruit," explained Draxnor. "Therefore, you are my superior."

"I see…" said Erza softly, smiling. "Damn… that last attack of yours really lives up to its name. I can still feel your damn fist here in my gut. It truly did feel like you were punching me into oblivion. Where'd you develop such a horrifying spell?"

"Long story short, I was fighting a guy that was proving to be a rather tough opponent, so I thought of different ways to end him and ended up with that," replied Draxnor, sighing deeply.

"ERZA!"

"I think you might want to answer that. They are getting rather frantic," said Draxnor.

"Well, if you would've taken down your vortex of flames, I think I would've answered already," she retorted.

"Tch, point taken. Can you walk?" he asked, starting to rise as the flames began to diminish.

"I don't know… I can still feel my bones re-mending," replied Erza. Draxnor nodded, then placed his other arm under her legs and lifted her bridal style.

"Forgive me, Natsu, for doing this to your future girlfriend," he said offhandedly, making Erza squeak and blush slightly. He smiled widely. "Well, well, I never expected such a sound to escape the mighty "Titania" Erza."

"Shut up! Just carry me into the infirmary!" she nearly shouted, giving him a much more effective glare, causing him to chuckle softly.

"Very well… Can you requip into something more comfortable?" Draxnor asked. "It must be pretty uncomfortable wearing your **Purgatory Armor**, especially with the magical energy it consumes and it being all broken."

"Not yet… I'm still a little drained, even though I already feel my magical energy returning to me," Erza replied, closing her eyes.

"Very well, then. Allow me to take away your armor from you. Don't worry. I'll give you some of…" he trailed off, biting his bottom lip slightly. Sighing, he continued, "… _her_ clothes so you won't have to worry about getting yours… unless you want me to get them."

"No… it's fine," she said simply.

"So, you do want to borrow clothes?" he asked, confused.

"No… I'll stay in this armor, but thanks for offering," she replied, smiling softly.

"Very well then… at least let me repair it for you. The condition isn't so good," he commented, inspecting her broken armor.

"Alright, I'll allow you to do that," she relented. He smile before placing crouching, leaning her back on his left arm and leg, bringing her legs down to the floor slowly and placing his right hand on the hole in her armor right above her belly.

**"Remendado Reforza!"**

Erza's armor began to glow in a pale white light as she felt the armor begin to repair itself. Amazed at what she was seeing and feeling, Erza wondered just what other incredible abilities Draxnor possessed under his belt. The armor stopped glowing and Erza marveled at its look. Apart from the armor being totally repaired, it looked stronger than ever.

"What did you do to my armor?" she asked, amazement clear in her voice.

"Apart from repairing it, I strengthened its defensive qualities. Now, it will take about two decently powered **Oblivion Fists **to get through your armor," he replied, smiling.

"Wow…" she simply said, still looking at her armor with awe. "You can actually do that?"

"Yeah! But it takes a heck of a lot of magic energy, so I use it sparingly," Draxnor replied, struggling slightly to get on his feet.

"Why don't you just drink one of your awesome… nasty-tasting potions?" she asked, her face distorting slightly in disgust.

"Why? Because I have a rather limited supply, _and _making just a vial of those things takes a lot of time and careful preparation… one little mistake, just one, and you have a horrifying death potion you wouldn't want to wish on your _worst _enemies," Draxnor replied, smirking. "I forgot to tell you… the potion leaves a long-lasting aftertaste, so you might want to brace yourself."

"Damn it! Really?" she asked frantically. Oh, no… not that. She did not want to have an aftertaste of _that_ horrendous concoction. Good as it may be, the thing tasted horrible! Good thing he only had a limited supply of that damn potion. She would probably die of nausea if she were to consume another vial of that _foul-tasting _potion. He had to better the taste of that thing, because it really was a helpful little gadget to get out of tight spots.

"Yeah…" he replied, trying hard to keep a straight face and not burst into laughter. Oh, how he was enjoying this… tricking the great Titania Erza. The potion didn't leave a _bad _aftertaste; it actually amplified the sensitivity of an individual's taste buds. So, if Erza were to eat something that she enjoyed, the taste of it would be amplified twice as much. But she didn't need to know _that_… 

She groaned in displeasure. "Damn it, Draxnor! You should have told me before! How long is it going to last?"

Draxnor placed his right thumb and finger on his chin, feigning deep thought. "It should last about a few days to a week. It depends…"

"Ugh… fine, I'll deal with it. But you better not tell anyone!" she growled, glaring at him menacingly. He nodded, smiling. "And why aren't the flames gone already?!"

"Oh, yeah… sorry about that," he apologized, raising his palm again to the sky. The flames instantly dissipated, revealing the crowd of Fairy Tail guild members surrounding them, most of them with concerned expressions and a few of them, namely Mirajane, with tears in their eyes.

"ERZA!"

"You're alright!"

"What a relief!"

"We were so worried about you!"

"Draxnor… what did you do to her? It sounded like you were torturing her…" Master Makarov inquired sternly, apparently ignoring the bloodied state of his newest member. Draxnor stood up, lifting Erza in bridal-style again.

"Forgive me, Master…" he apologized, bowing his head, while Erza gave him a small smile.

"It was nothing, Master… we went slightly overboard, that's all…" Erza replied for Draxnor.

"Overboard? That's the understatement of understatements! You literally destroyed the entire street! The Council will not let me hear the end of this!" Makarov shouted.

Draxnor eyed the area. Yup, they pretty much leveled the entire street. The biggest bit of destruction was that massive crater _he _caused. Good thing they didn't take it to the center of town, or a large scale catastrophe would've ensued… not that they would actually do it in the first place.

"How are you wounds, Erza?" Mirajane asked concernedly.

"They'll be okay… Draxnor gave me this amazing potion that heals all of your physical wounds and restores your magic energy to full power. So, according to him, I'll be up and running within two to three hours," Erza replied unconcernedly. "Why?"

"Oh… we should take you inside… can you walk?" she inquired further.

"Ummm, not really. Draxnor kind of broke the majority of my bones…" Erza said tentatively, as if debating whether she should tell the truth or not.

"HE WHAT?!"

"Forgive me everyone…" Draxnor apologized again. "I will take her inside and personally take care of her."

"That's fine, my boy. But who will care for your wounds?" asked Master Makarov.

"I can do it!" Mirajane offered happily.

"Thank you, Mira. But I'll be fine," Draxnor attempted to turn her down, but she gave him one of her trademark creepy smiles. "Are you trying to scare me? Because trust me, it's not working…"

"Nonsense, Draxnor. Look at you. You're covered in blood!" Mirajane almost shouted, walking over and inspecting him. She leaned slightly over Erza. "May I?"

"What?"

"May I look into your shirt, Draxnor?" she asked.

"Oh… Um, sure," he replied.

Mirajane opened up his shirt as he slowly lowered Erza's feet to the ground.

"Hey, Draxnor, what the hell are you doing?" Erza demanded forcefully, wincing in pain when her feet touched the floor.

"About 10 minutes have passed since you drank the potion. You should be able to walk already, albeit slowly and painfully," he said calmly. Noticing her positively outraged expression, he added, "Don't worry. I'm not going to make you walk. You can lean on my shoulder for support while Mira inspects me. After she's done, I'll carry you into the guild's infirmary."

"Fine… you better," she muttered, giving him… a pout?

_'Since when did Erza become so childish?'_ thought Draxnor, looking at Erza intently.

"Draxnor, just take off everything… your coat, your shirt… everything. I'm pretty sure you have wounds on your back," Mirajane ordered, snapping his attention towards her.

"Sure, just hold on to Erza for a moment," replied Draxnor, undressing. After he did, Erza almost jumped off Mirajane and supported herself on him.

Mirajane eyed his entire upper body with concern, walking around him, locating every wound he had. Surprisingly, though, almost all of the wounds that should've still been bleeding, since they were so recent and were rather large, had closed up, leaving only drying blood on his body.

"Wow… Erza did quite a number on you… but strangely, your wounds are already mostly healed," Mirajane commented, a hint of awe in her voice. She moved away from him.

"Yeah, the rate at which my wounds heal is rather impressive," he said offhandedly, putting on his shirt and coat.

"Well… I can't do anything since your wounds are healed," Mirajane pouted. It seemed she wanted to get away from her daily barmaid duties every now and then.

"Thanks, anyways, Mira. I'll clean myself up once I get Erza inside," said Draxnor, picking up Erza bridal-style again and making his way onto the guild.

**"Requip!"**

Erza shone in the familiar yellow light as she changed once again, surprising Draxnor slightly, who almost dropped her in the process. When she stopped glowing, she was wearing her hair tied back in a ponytail, a white sleeveless button up shirt that hugged her bountiful curves tightly, her navy blue skirt and black boots.

"Well, that's a lot more comfortable…" Draxnor commented, pushing the door open with his foot.

"You should be more careful with me… you almost dropped me back there," Erza reprimanded, ignoring Draxnor's last comment.

"Sure," he said, nodding.

"Well, look who it is! If it isn't the weakling Erza and the hotshot new guy!" a voice sneered from close by.

"Laxus…" Erza growled softly. Draxnor looked at her questioningly. "He's one of the S-Class Mages and also one of the competitors for Fairy Tail's Strongest Mage."

Laxus was sitting on a chair facing them with his feet on the table, looking at them with an arrogant smirk.

"So the boring fight is finally over… Tell me, new guy. Did you enjoy making Erza know her place?" he drawled.

Draxnor kept a straight face, but deep inside, he wanted to punch the guy's face in. He just met him and he already disliked him. He hated arrogant people… people who think they are better than everyone else just because they have power. And it seemed that _this guy_ was one of _them_. Draxnor had dealt with these kinds of people before, and the ending result was never good.

"So, Erza, do you see now? See how you're so weak?" he asked mockingly. Erza growled softly.

"I would keep my mouth shut, kid, unless you want me to punch your teeth in," Draxnor threatened, glaring at Laxus

"Kid? Who the hell do you think you're talking to? Feeling all high and mighty because you beat _that_ weakling? Trust me, she's nothing compared to me! I'm the strongest mage here in this guild of weaklings!" Laxus shouted.

"Excuse me, Erza," growled Draxnor softly, setting her down on a chair, his eyes closed.

"Draxnor, what are you doing?!" Erza shouted. Too late… he had already shot towards Laxus, lifted him up by his shirt and slammed him into a table, breaking it in half. Laxus inhaled slightly in surprise at the speed Draxnor showcased.

"What's going on here?!" shouted Master Makarov, as the guild members made their way in. Draxnor ignored the master as he still held Laxus.

Draxnor opened his eyes, shooting Laxus with a very malevolent glare that sent small shivers down his spine. Laxus backed his head away slightly, a small bead of sweat running down his face. He could swear he saw a tiny glint of red in Draxnor's brown eyes.

"Listen to me, little Dragon Slayer. It would be wise for you to keep your mouth shut about my comrades if you know what's best for you. Insult them one more time and I will make you eat your words very painfully," he threatened softly, venom dripping from every syllable he spoke. Laxus gritted his teeth in anger, glaring at Draxnor's bloody face.

"Draxnor, stop!" Erza commanded. With that, Draxnor released Laxus and straightened up, giving one last death glare at Laxus before walking towards her.

He looked over at the guild and saw everyone staring at him with awe and shock on their faces. Nobody did that to Laxus and got away with it… nobody. Yet he did… Draxnor continued to amaze the mages in Fairy Tail, and something told them that this was just the beginning.

"Tch, be grateful that I have a job to do, if not I would take you down from your little cloud right now," growled Laxus, fixing his coat and walking away from them towards the front door.

"Mark my words…" was all Draxnor said.

"Draxnor, please… that's enough," said Erza sternly, shakily standing up and placing a hand on his shoulder. Draxnor sighed deeply.

"Fine…"

"Thanks, though…" she said suddenly, giving him a small smile. He returned it.

"No problem. Want me to carry you to the infirmary?" he offered when she was about to take a small step.

"I'm fine now. It shouldn't be too bad, now should it?" Erza said.

"It shouldn't be. Around 20 minutes have passed since you drank the potion. Walking should be pretty much a breeze for you, although you will still feel a little pain, so be careful. Make sure you rest, Erza! We have a job to do!" Draxnor ordered her, pointing his index finger at her, almost sounding like a parent or an older sibling.

"W-W-We d-do?" she stuttered, totally confused.

"Yes, we do. Now rest," he said, dismissing their conversation as he turned to Master Makarov.

"What is it, my boy?" he asked, looking straight at him.

"First and foremost…" he began, pointing his palm at the broken table. **"Remendado!"**

The table he broke a few minutes ago when he threw Laxus down began to repair itself at a break neck pace. Before the guild members could register what was happening, the table was set and ready for use again.

"Impressive…" muttered Makarov softly.

"Second, I apologize for my rather rash actions against your grandson, Master. His rather arrogant antics and his insults of my comrades were getting on my nerves," continued Draxnor, closing his eyes.

"No need to worry, my boy. It's alright," Makarov accepted his apology, dismissing the subject with a wave of his hand. "Anything else?"

"Lastly, in which direction is Galuna Island?" he asked, making Master Makarov stare at him with interest.

"Why do you want to know that, my boy?" asked Makarov.

"Well, I was going to request your permission for Erza and I to go and retrieve Natsu, a guy named Gray, a girl named Lucy, and a flying cat named Happy," Draxnor replied. Makarov closed his eyes and sighed deeply, that particular _headache_ making its way back to his brain.

"Ah, so you heard about them stealing an S-Class Request, am I correct?" inquired Makarov. Draxnor nodded.

"Yes, Master. I heard it when Erza and I were fighting," replied Draxnor simply.

"Incredible… to have such a sense of hearing…" Makarov complimented. "You sure are very interesting, my boy. I would really like to see more of your abilities…"

"Trust me, Master. You will… but only in due time," Draxnor replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and get myself cleaned up. Then I'll tend to Erza. Oh, by the way… Mira, can I please have a bottle of tequila?"

He pulled out some money and handed it over to her.

"Sure!" she chirped happily, taking the money. "One tequila bottle coming right up!"

"Thank you, Mira," said Draxnor softly, giving her a thumbs up. He then turned and was about to leave the guild when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Cana looking up at him… rather seductively.

"Hey, hot stuff… you really showcased some awesome moves out there," she said, her voice just as seductive as her gaze.

"Thanks, Cana," replied Draxnor gratefully, smiling at her. She winked at him sultrily.

"Anytime," she replied, turning around and walking away, her bountiful hips swaying more than normal. Draxnor couldn't help but stare for a moment before biting his lip and turning away. Thankfully, an excuse to look away came up when Mirajane came up to him with his bottle of tequila.

"Here you go!" she said happily, handing him the bottle.

"Thanks, Mira," he said, opening it and taking a gulping down a good amount of it. "I'll be taking my leave now. Be back in a few…"

"Alright, bye, Draxnor!" called out Mira as she returned to her post in the bar.

"See you in a bit, my boy," called out Makarov, sitting in the bar, waiting for his drink.

And with that… he left.

…

Erza was under the covers of one of the beds in the infirmary, the one closest to the window… just staring at the ceiling. She thought about the match… how she gave it her all… and still lost. Draxnor was truly strong… a rare specimen of immense raw power. In her opinion, he was already S-Class level material, if not higher. She enjoyed the fight greatly, even if she lost. Even though it was a rather heavy blow to her pride as the strongest woman in Fairy Tail, she didn't go down without giving him a heck of a fight. And then he protected her pride when he attacked Laxus. True… pissing off Laxus was a rather stupid thing to do. If he struggled against her, Laxus would probably wipe the floor with him. But then, the look he gave Laxus… an evil, malevolent look… shook her slightly. Even Laxus was slightly intimidated, something she still could not believe. But, no matter… the point was, Draxnor proved to everyone that he was a total powerhouse, even though he was just a rookie member. Incredible things were going to be expected from him in the near future…

She then thought about Natsu, the crazy, idiotic, fun-loving pink-haired Dragon Slayer. She thought about the promise she had made him of staying unbeaten until he came and defeated her. She had broken that promise the moment Draxnor sank his **Oblivion Fist** into her gut. She felt anger at herself for being weak and not being able to keep a promise. She didn't know if she would be able to look at Natsu in the eyes again after her shameful performance. He would probably mock her for not being strong enough.

Shaking her head at the last few thoughts, Erza attempted to push them away. No… Natsu wouldn't do such a terrible thing. He was one of the most understanding people in the world. She knew that she could go and tell him whatever she wanted and he would not judge her… he would only listen. Yes… that was a lot more like him.

Smiling softly while closing her eyes, Erza allowed sleep to overcome her and give her the rest she deserved and needed…

…

* * *

><p><em><strong>Whew! Such an awesomely long chapter! I hope y'all enjoyed it! <strong>_

_**I will not be updating this soon next time, though. The only reason I updated so soon was because I already had more than half of this chapter done, and I decided to finish it off then and there. So, sorry about that. **_

_**What do you think about the fight? Was it good? Did y'all enjoy it? Did I portray Erza's abilities well enough?**_

_**The upcoming chapter is... as you all know... Galuna Island! I have some little twists planned for this arc, so look forward to it.**_

_**For now... please review, review, review!**_

_**Until next time! Ciao!**_


	3. Galuna Island

_**Hey, everyone!**_

_**Back I am with another chapter of The Holy Trinity! This chapter now holds the record of being the longest I've written yet... almost 14,000 words! Once again, the inspiration just kept me going, but the editing kinda killed my groove, hence the slightly longer wait.**_

_**Thanks to everyone for their great reviews. I have taken the comments of Draxnor being too OP into account, but rest assured... I have a reason for that!**_

_**Like always, please read and review! I really enjoy my readers' comments, feedback and suggestions (except flames) on my story.**_

_**Anyway, onto the story! **_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, its rights or any of its characters, spells, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima. I only own my OCs, my spells, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " "= **Dialogue**

**Requip " "= Spells and Magical Item Names**

_What? ' ' = _**Thoughts**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: Galuna Island<strong>

About an hour and a half had passed after the unforgettable fight between Draxnor and Erza. During that span, Draxnor had returned from getting cleaned up, wearing a navy blue long sleeved button up shirt with intricate black designs running around it left opened at the top, black slacks similar to the ones he wore before leaving, and predominantly black dress shoes with blue designs on them. He wore what seemed to be the same trench coat as before, but this one had intricate blue designs instead of blood-red. All in all, Draxnor went from red to blue in less than two hours…

He was sitting on one of the stools in the bar, drinking his second bottle of tequila. He was leisurely chatting with Cana, who brought her enormous barrel of booze with her. Erza was still up in the infirmary, resting. After Draxnor returned from cleaning himself, the first thing he did was check up on Erza. When he opened the door to the infirmary, he saw her there, peacefully resting under the covers. Smiling slightly, he closed the door and went down to the bar.

Things seemed to have returned to normal after the big fight. There was chatting all over the place about numerous topics, from the fight to who was the bigger man, the latter being courtesy of Elfman. Master Makarov was on a stool, drinking his usual mugs of beer, chatting openly with Mirajane, who was laughing cheerily. A brawl broke out over Elfman's topic on who was the bigger man, eliciting laughs from everyone in the hall, including Draxnor and Cana, who were facing the other side before the fight broke out. However, all semblance of peace in Fairy Tail was broken when a young man rushed in through the front doors, breathing very heavily.

"M-Master M-Makarov! Something t-terrible h-has happened!" he shouted, panting as he made his way to the tiny master. The chatting died out almost instantly and everyone looked over at the man. He was a short, slender man with unkempt black hair that stuck out in some places. He wore a black long sleeve button up shirt with a white tie, black slacks and black shoes. He was sweating bullets and his eyes were wide with terror, as if he saw a demon or something of the sort.

"What is it, my boy?" Makarov asked seriously, sobering up at hearing the word terrible. "What happened?"

"Someone's been murdered in one of the alleys to the south of town!" he shouted. Time froze for an instant as the statement sunk into the brains of everyone in the guild.

"WHAT?!" shouted Makarov, shooting up to his feet. "Who was it?!"

"It was a young woman of about 20 years of age!" the man replied.

"How was she killed?! When was she killed?!" inquired Makarov, feeling anger rise. Nobody committed a murder in the streets of Magnolia and got away with it with him on the lookout… nobody.

"That's the thing, Master. The mayor requested _you_ specifically to investigate, since the cause of death seems to be of magical origin," he explained. "According to authorities, it happened last night."

"Well, what happened to the victim?" asked Makarov, walking up to the young man.

"All of her blood was taken out of her system. I mean all of it," he replied, shocking everyone. What he said next, though, made it worse, "At first we thought it was probably a creature like a vampire, but when the body was inspected by the authorities, there were no bite marks anywhere on the body. To make things worse, though, they did an internal scan of the body and they found that all internal organs had disappeared as well. The outer body was left intact, but the insides were completely wiped clean."

Everyone cringed horribly at this. Who could've done something as horrible as that to a human being? Simple… it wasn't a human who committed that murder… it was a full-blown monster… But even then, what monster is capable of doing such a thing? The only thing that crossed their minds that would do such an atrocity would be a demon…

"Sounds like a Life Drainer," spoke Makarov softly.

"What's a Life Drainer?" asked Mirajane suddenly, making everyone look at her and Master Makarov.

"It's a species of demon of the worst kind," answered Draxnor, surprising everyone. "It uses the kind of magic that gave the species its name… **Life Draining Magic**. It's a horrible kind of magic, used to drain helpless victims of all of their blood and increase the lifespan of the user…"

Mirajane placed her hands on her mouth as Draxnor trailed off and placed a finger on his chin thoughtfully, her eyes wide with horror. She never knew such a horrible kind of magic existed. _Nobody _knew, except Master Makarov and Draxnor, for what it seemed. How did Draxnor know, though? How did he know that such a kind of demon existed when nobody did?

"Um… if I may know… what does a Life Drainer look like?" asked the young man. Everyone looked at Draxnor intently, even Master Makarov.

"That's the thing… nobody knows. The only people who knew what a Life Drainerlooked like were all killed before they could give a description," replied Draxnor cryptically. Master Makarov nodded, having known that. "They were sly little bastards. They crept around cities in the middle of the night, preying on unsuspecting victims. Once they chose a target, you could consider them gone. But it's weird…"

"What is it? What's weird?" asked Cana, totally engrossed in the conversation.

"Life Drainerswere supposedly hunted to extinction by dragons hundreds of years ago for unspecified reasons. Well… that was what _that _dragon told me eight years ago," replied Draxnor, unconsciously touching the scar on his face.

"Yes… that's what I heard, too," Makarov said, scratching his chin, deep in thought. "Usage of **Life Draining Magic**, and murders committed with it,suddenly dropped exponentially hundreds of years ago, leading everyone to think that the Life Drainershad been extinguished."

"And not to mention… **Life Draining Magic** only deals with the blood, not the internal organs. It either must've been an improved version of the magic, or a whole new one," Draxnor pointed out. "We are not completely sure that this could've been a Life Drainer."

"You're right, my boy. But what could it be?" asked Makarov, deep in thought. Draxnor closed his eyes, thinking hard.

"I don't know…" replied Draxnor truthfully. "The only creatures capable of doing such things would be demons, that's for sure. But the difficult thing would be finding out the exact species…"

He trailed off again, thinking deeply once more.

"How do you know so much about demons, Draxnor?" asked Cana and Mirajane in unison, interrupting Draxnor's train of thought. Blinking for a few seconds, Draxnor sighed and smiled.

"I did a fair share of demon hunting back in the old days," replied Draxnor nonchalantly, as if hunting some of the darkest beings in existence was nothing but child's play. Everyone stared at him with eyes wide with shock and surprise at the new development.

"In fact," he continued, pointing to the elaborate scar on his face. "It was a demon who gave me this scar."

"Wow…" Cana breathed softly in awe.

"Man, Draxnor keeps sounding more and more like a badass every time he talks…"

"He's a REAL MAN, that's why!"

"You'll never learn, Elfman…"

"Draxnor, you truly are one of a kind…" commented Mirajane, smiling at him.

"What's the entire ruckus about?" asked a stern voice from above them. Everyone cringed and felt shivers run down their spine, except Draxnor, Mirajane and Master Makarov. Oh, they knew that voice anywhere they went. That fierce tone was just unmistakable. It was none other than their Titania Erza, who seemingly just woke up, or was _woken _up, from her rest. She walked down the stairs to the left of Draxnor, now wearing her Heart Kreuz armor over her normal clothes.

"I was trying to rest, you know!" Erza reprimanded, making most of the guild members cower under her harsh glare.

"I may be a real man, but Erza is too much…"

"S-S-Scary…"

"Aw, man… I'm scared now…"

"Well, I'll be right back, brats. I'm going to go investigate this murder scene," Makarov announced, walking over to the young man.

"MURDER?!" Erza shrieked, eyes widening. "WHERE? WHO? WHEN?!"

"Erza, calm down…" Makarov spoke. "There was a murder in the southern part of the city. Investigators said that it happened last night, and there was a young lady involved."

"I see…" Erza said, trying to collect herself. "Well, let's go, then!"

"No, Erza. I'll take this one alone. The mayor requested me specifically. You have a job to do," Makarov replied, trying to get her to not go.

"Eh? Oh, yeah, Draxnor told me about it. What's the job, master?" she asked. Draxnor looked at her, taking another gulp of his bottle of tequila while he leaned back on the counter.

"Let him fill you in on the details," Makarov replied, gesturing towards Draxnor. "You're going to Galuna Island to retrieve something for me, or should I say… _someone_."

"Really? Who?" she inquired further, confused.

"We're going to get Natsu, Happy, Lucy and Gray back. Apparently Natsu stole an S-Class Request from the second floor and Master Makarov is asking us to go retrieve them and bring them here for punishment," replied Draxnor, standing up and bidding farewell to Cana, who most seductively reciprocated.

However, Erza didn't budge an inch. Her scarlet hair overshadowed her eyes; therefore, nobody could see the emotions flowing through them. Suddenly, though, she looked up, anger clearly etched on her beautiful features. She clenched both of her fists.

"That… that… that… IDIOT!" she screamed, an eerily threatening aura emanating from her that shook even Draxnor. "I'm going to kick his ass once I get my hands on him!"

'_Natsu will not like this…'_ thought Draxnor amusedly.

"Draxnor… let's go!" she commanded, grabbing his shirt and literally dragging him to the front doors of the guild.

"Whoa, whoa, hold your horses, Erza," he said loudly, prompting her to release him and glare at him. "Well, someone's healed up and ready for battle."

"Draxnor, quit screwing around! We have to go get that pink-haired idiot and everyone else before they get themselves killed!" she replied harshly.

"Erza, I know. Just wait a second, I forgot something important," he said, walking over to the bar. "Mira, can I have another bottle of tequila please?"

Everyone fell down to the floor at hearing what Draxnor's "important" something was. He really was assimilating into Fairy Tail's odd antics… so much, in fact, that he had just begun to pull out some of his own. Erza stared at him, her jaw dropped. Mirajane just accepted his request cheerily and went back for another bottle. Cana only stared at him, laughing softly. However, everyone instantly cowered at the horrifying aura of a fuming Erza.

"Draxnor…" she whispered softly with a very menacing tone. He flinched slightly.

'_She's mad now,' _thought Draxnor.

She was suddenly behind him and bonked him on the head with her gauntlet. Draxnor grunted softly in pain as he grabbed his bottle before being dragged away by Erza, who was muttering something he could not discern.

"We'll be taking our leave now, Master. See you later!" Draxnor called out. Master Makarov waved goodbye.

"Well… that escalated quickly," muttered Master Makarov, watching them intently as they left the guild.

"Bye, Erza! Bye, Draxnor! Take care, and please bring Natsu back to me safely!" Mirajane shouted, waving goodbye to them.

"Mira, my dear. I'll be leaving as well to investigate the murder scene. Please take care of the guild for me," announced Master Makarov.

"Of course Master!" Mira replied happily. She then gave her signature creepy smile. "I'll make sure everything is okay until you return. Right, guys?"

Everyone paled at her smile. Oh, nobody wanted to see Mirajane mad… not now, not ever. She was just as bad as Erza, even without using her powers. They fervently nodded and returned to their activities. Master Makarov laughed and nodded, turning towards the young man.

"Lead the way, my boy."

"Right away, Master Makarov," replied the young man, bowing.

With that, they left, leaving a rather flustered guild hall behind.

"S-S-Scary…"

…

"Bye, Erza! Bye, Draxnor! Take care, and please bring Natsu back to me safely!" Mirajane shouted after them as they left the guild hall, with Erza still dragging Draxnor. She was growling softly, probably due to Mirajane's comment of bringing Natsu back to _her_.

'_Jealous much?'_ thought Draxnor, smiling slightly. _'Natsu is really lucky to have these two women devoted to him… just like _he_ predicted.' _

"Um, Erza… I can walk you know," Draxnor spoke up. Erza stopped suddenly and released him.

"Sorry about that," she apologized, bowing low. "Hit me."

"Uh… no. No need to worry," he said, fixing up his shirt. "Now, where are we going?"

"Were going to Magnolia Station and catch a train to Hargeon Town not too far south from here. From there, we'll try to get someone to sail us into Galuna Island," Erza replied, straightening up. "Although I doubt somebody will…"

"Why is that?" asked Draxnor.

"The island, according to some people, is cursed. Those who get exposed to the curse get turned into monsters, or something along those lines," Erza explained.

"Ah," was all Draxnor replied as he took a gulp of his tequila.

"You sure like to drink tequila, don't you…" she commented.

"Well, ever since… since _that _happened I became an alcoholic," Draxnor muttered, closing his eyes.

"What happened?" asked Erza, genuinely curious.

"I don't want to talk about it… not yet," he replied, looking… hurt and saddened. Whatever happened to him must've left him deeply scarred. Erza was honestly a little curious about it, having suffered something in her past that left her deeply scarred, and she wanted to know, but she didn't press any further. She didn't want to tread into personal territory and possibly get Draxnor more upset than he seemingly was already.

In silence they walked through the rather packed streets of the merchant town, listening to the ruckus people made as they continued their daily lives. Draxnor studied the Medieval-like buildings pushed close together in what seemed to be an attempt at a symmetrical town. And, he had to admit, they actually did pretty good.

"Erza…" he spoke softly, ending the five minute long silence between them.

"What's up?" she asked, not looking at him. She seemed to be staring intently at a bakery that they had just passed, apparently looking at the cheesecakes.

"Where is the train station?" he asked, stopping dead in his tracks when he noticed that Erza had lingered behind in front of the bakery.

"Oh, it's to the southeast of where we are," she replied, still staring at the cheesecakes… almost drooling.

"Do you… want a cheesecake?" he asked, slightly bemused. He then remembered something _particular_ and he smirked.

"Yeah," she responded, nodding furiously, as if she were a little kid waiting for her parent to buy her what she wanted.

"I can buy it for you…" he offered, giving her a rather mischievous smirk.

"You would?" she asked, looking at him, her eyes glowing.

"Oh, yeah. I'll buy it for you… Consider it as a token of friendship," he replied, barely containing his laughter. Oh, he was going to enjoy this. Also, it seemed that Erza had forgotten about the "bad" aftertaste his _horrendous_ concoction left.

"Alright! Let's go!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside the bakery. A bell rang when they opened the door. It was a small place, with yellow wooden walls, with a refrigerated glass counter besides the door holding in a wide assortment of cheesecakes. However, the one at the top looked the tastiest… a strawberry cheesecake.

"Welcome to Fairy Cheesecakes!" called out one of the bakers.

"Hello," Draxnor called back. Erza was already at the glass counter, ogling at the cheesecakes.

"Would you like to try our newest cheesecake?" he asked Erza, noticing her glowing look while she stared at other cheesecakes. He had the delicious-looking strawberry cheesecake in his hands.

"Um, I don't know…" she replied, inspecting it closely.

"Erza, I think we should hurry. We don't want to waste a lot of time, since Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Gray's lives might be on the line as we speak," Draxnor warned. Erza hastily abandoned her glowing look, adopting her usual stoic expression.

"Right… I'll take the new one, then," she stated, pointing at the cheesecake in the baker's hands..

"Alright, ma'am, it'll be 250 Jewels per slice… or do you want the entire thing?" the employee asked.

"I'll take just one slice. I have a job to do," she replied seriously. Wow, she was actually restraining herself on her favorite snack. "Make that four…" Forget it…

"Alright, that'll be 1000 Jewels," the man said, placing her four slices of cheesecake into containers and handing them to her along with a plastic fork.

"Here…" said Draxnor, handing the man two 1000 Jewel bills. "Keep the change, bud."

"Well, thank you, sir. You are most kind," the employee complimented, bowing his head.

"Yea, no problem," Draxnor said offhandedly, waving his hand as he approached the door, closely followed by Erza.

"Oh by the way, did you hear about the murder that occurred last night to the south of town?" asked the man casually, stopping Draxnor dead in his tracks. Erza gave him a fleeting glance before focusing her full attention on the cheesecakes and exiting the store.

"Yeah. Why?" asked Draxnor, turning around to meet the man's eye. Erza seemed too focused on her cheesecake to notice that she was alone outside.

"Apparently, someone witnessed it…" the man spoke. Draxnor's eyes widened considerably. In a flash, he was at the counter, slamming both of his clenched fists on the counter and glaring at the man.

"Who saw it? What did they see?" he demanded. The man backed away slightly, waving his hands frantically.

"I don't know who saw it, but whoever _did_ only mentioned the girl running away from a pair of floating, shining blood-red eyes," replied the man. Draxnor clenched his teeth and looked away from him, deep in thought.

"Anything else?" he asked, not looking at the man. He shook his head.

"I see…" Draxnor muttered, nodding slightly. "Good day to you…"

"Goodbye, sir," replied the man. As Draxnor walked out of the shop, he noticed Erza was already outside, looking at him suspiciously.

"Well?" she prompted.

"Well… what?" he asked, seemingly confused.

"What did the baker say?" she asked.

"Oh… All he said was that there was someone who witnessed the crime, that's all," Draxnor replied. When Erza was about to open her mouth to continue asking, he added, "He doesn't know who witnessed it, though. He said it was a rumor…"

"I see… well, let's go. We have to retrieve _those _idiots and punish them," she growled, walking in a brisk pace towards the station, with Draxnor following closely.

"I would eat those cheesecakes quickly when we are at the station… you might _scream _in delight because of how tasty they are," he warned with a sly smile on his face that she didn't seem to detect.

"Really? Have you had this cheesecake before?" asked Erza, looking at him intently.

"No… I'm just saying. Anyway, let's get to the station."

"Right…"

…

"Natsu… how are we ever going to destroy the moon?" asked a rather beautiful teenage girl to a pink haired boy of similar age as they were walking down a dense, lush pathway in the middle of a forest in Galuna Island. She had shoulder length blonde hair with one small ponytail tied by a pink ribbon on the right side of her head and two bangs framing her beautiful face, the rest of it hanging loose, and large, soft brown eyes. She wore a light green tank top that hugged her slim waist tightly and showed a good amount of her very impressive breasts, and a short, pleated white skirt that somewhat covered her ample hips, which completed her nigh perfect hourglass figure. She had a somewhat wide brown belt slanted around her hips, where she held a long brown whip with a heart shaped end on her left and a keychain with an assortment of golden and silver keys. She also had brown, long, high-heeled boots, as well as Fairy Tail's guild mark on the back of her right hand.

"I'll burn it with my fire, of course!" Natsu exclaimed, bumping his fists together while smiling widely, showcasing his sharper-than-normal canines. He was taller than the girl, lean, and very muscular, with spiky pink air and black eyes. He wore a white scale-patterned scarf wrapped snugly around his neck, a sleeveless, gold trimmed, black waistcoat left open, revealing his very toned chest and abdomen and his red guild mark just below his right shoulder. Along with that, he wore knee-length white trousers with black open-toed sandals and a thick black wristband on his left wrist.

"Aye, sir!" yelled his small blue flying cat companion, Happy, who was hovering right beside him, his small angelic wings spread wide.

"Natsu, they'll never reach _that_ far! Geez, at this rate, I'll never get the key…" the girl complained, pouting.

"Lucy's right, stupid pink matchstick," said another young man that was accompanying them. He was slightly taller than Natsu, and just as lean and muscular, with spiky black hair and dark blue eyes. He was wearing nothing over his upper body, leaving it completely exposed along with the dark blue guild mark on his right pectoral. He had a necklace resembling a sword in a stone hanging around his neck, a metal bracelet, dark blue pants with black shoes, a brown belt and a metal chain hanging from two of his belt loopholes. "Your flames will never reach. Besides, you'll never be able to destroy the moon. You're too weak."

"Did you say something, little popsicle?" retorted Natsu, glaring at him. Both of them glared at each other, taking mirrored positions, with their arms crossed and their foreheads nearly pressing.

"Yeah, I said that you're too weak!" the black-haired young man replied. "Are you deaf?"

"Wanna see for yourself?" asked Natsu, smirking through his glare.

"Gray, Natsu, stop screwing around! We have a job to do!" yelled Lucy, scowling at them, trying futilely to stop them from brawling in the middle of the forest. "If you don't stop, I'm telling Erza!"

Jackpot… that seemed to capture their attention, for they froze and turned to look at her, their eyes wide and faces pale in fear.

"Y-You wouldn't…" spoke Natsu shakily. Happy cowered behind him.

"Oh, yes I would…" she retorted, smiling devilishly. Oh, how she loved it when at the mere mention of Erza's name, both Natsu and Gray would cower at her feet, begging her not to tell. She wrote a mental note to thank her later.

"Now… about the job…" continued Lucy.

"Yeah! Let's go!" shouted Natsu, recovering very quickly from his petrified state.

"Tch, yeah sure, let's go," said Gray along with Natsu, looking at Lucy with just his boxers on.

"KYAAA! Gray, your clothes!" screamed Lucy, pointing at his nigh naked form.

"WHAT THE HELL! Where are they?!" shouted Gray as he frantically tried to search for his clothes as Natsu and Happy were bawling in laughter.

"Shut up, little fire lizard!" growled Gray, prompting Natsu to stop and stare at him.

"What did you say, ice pervert?" asked Natsu mockingly, earning an angry glare from Gray.

"Erza, Erza, Erza…" chanted Lucy nonchalantly, making them pale and look at her once again in fear.

"Don't tell her, please," they both begged in unison, Gray somehow having found his clothes and putting them on before this.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe if you were to stop screwing around!" shouted Lucy. However, it didn't have the effect she desired on Natsu, for he suddenly turned serious.

"But wait, wouldn't she be mad at you too?" asked Natsu thoughtfully, placing his right hand on his chin.

"Why is that?" she challenged.

"Well, you're with us on a quest that we're not supposed to take in the first place…" he pointed out. Now it was Lucy's turn to pale. She fell to her knees.

"Oh, God! Why me? No key is worth Erza's wrath!" she wept comically.

"Whatever, don't worry about it," reassured Natsu. "Let's find a way to help these people without having to destroy the moon."

"Aye, sir!" shouted Happy, floating behind him, just having gotten over his cowardly moment.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's go," agreed Lucy, instantly perking up.

For a few minutes they traveled through the dense forest in rare silence, looking in different directions at the same time, so as to not miss any possible thing in their limited line of sight. They were starting to enjoy the silence until they were interrupted when something massive crashed in front of them, picking up a large amount of dust and scaring everyone in the process.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" shouted Lucy fearfully, pointing at the dust cloud shakily.

"Dunno…" replied Natsu simply. When the dust cloud cleared, Lucy screamed in shock. In front of them stood what seemed to be a giant turquoise furred rat wearing a black corset-style top with pink edges with a black cross-section lacing in the middle. She also wore a white lace headband with a red ribbon tied on her chest.

"AAAACK! A freaky monster!" screamed Happy in fear, hiding behind Natsu's back.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?" shrieked Lucy, cowering behind Gray.

"That thing looks like a rat…" replied Gray, clenching his teeth slightly while glaring at the rat. "And from the clothes it's wearing, it's safe to say that it's a girl…"

"That's one ugly-looking rat," commented Natsu, unfazed. This seemed to anger the animal as it crouched, flashing its large teeth. However, instead of pouncing at them like they expected, it began to release what seemed to be a large held breath. Instantly, Natsu covered his mouth and his nose. He seemed to be about to throw up. Moments later, Lucy, Gray, and Happy joined him, although they were not as affected as Natsu.

"It smells horrible!" coughed Lucy. Natsu had already fallen to the ground, his face green.

"I'm about to puke… this is so horrible!" wheezed Natsu. The rat stopped breathing and charged at the group.

"Holy crap! It's coming at us!" shouted Lucy. Gray jumped in front of them and slammed his right fist on top of his open left palm.

"**Ice Make: Floor!"**

Ice began to appear on Gray's hands before he brought them to the floor. Instantly, the floor began to freeze, all of it heading towards the rat. The moment the rat stepped on the icy ground, it slipped and skidded towards the group. Before it hit them, it was stopped by Natsu, who somehow recovered at an amazing speed from his nauseous state. He was glaring at the rat.

"Stupid rat!" he shouted angrily before slamming his fist into the rat.

"Damn rodent!" shouted Gray soon after, kicking the rat.

Together they beat the rat into oblivion as Lucy and Happy stared at the scene with a bemused expression, sweat dropping.

"Ummm, guys… I think that's enough…" said Lucy, smiling nervously when they showed no signs of stopping.

"Well… I… don't… think… so…" countered Natsu, timing his words with every punch.

"Yeah… Lucy… flame… brain… is… right…" agreed Gray, also timing his words with his kicks.

"That's enough!" shouted Lucy, surprising the male wizards slightly, actually causing them to stop. "Oh, wow. I didn't know you were actually going to listen to me. I thought for a moment that I was going to have to resort to telling Erza…"

At their visibly paled expressions, Lucy giggled softly and evilly.

"Well, whatever. Let's keep going. I have a feeling that we're getting close to finding something big," said Natsu, recovering first and patting dust off his outfit.

How right he was. Just after he said that and after walking for a few moments, they stumbled across a clearing with a very large, yellowish pyramid-like temple. It was obviously very old, with most of its outside walls overtaken with green overgrowth from the surrounding areas, and some major discoloration in the uncovered sections.

Walking up the stone steps that led to the entrance, the group couldn't help but notice the crescent-moon symbol emblazoned on the wall right above the entrance and on two pillars not so far away from it.

"Hey… doesn't that symbol look a lot like Chief Moka's staff?" asked Lucy to no one in particular.

"You're right. It does look like that geezer's staff," replied Natsu. "But who cares! Let's go inside already!"

"Wait, Natsu!" shouted Lucy. "This could be a trap!"

Too late… Natsu had already barged in. Lucy face palmed as Happy rushed in with him just as excitedly, while Gray just shook his head, muttering "stupid pyro" in the process.

"I heard that, ice princess!" shouted Natsu from inside, angering Gray.

"Oh, yeah! Like I give a damn, pinky!" Gray shouted back, running inside the temple.

"Ugh, why do they fight so much!" whined Lucy, before following Gray.

The inside of the temple had succumbed to age just as much as the outside, with foliage growing on the walls and large cracks adorning them as well, some of them allowing sunlight to permeate the otherwise impenetrable temple. Even the floor seemed to be weakened as small cracks littered across it with a few of the stones sunken.

"It looks like the floor could collapse any minute, doesn't it?" asked Lucy to no one in particular once again.

"Really?" said Natsu, excitedly stomping on the floor next to a large boulder.

"Natsu, what the hell are you doing?!" cried Lucy shrilly, reaching over to him to somehow make him stop.

Once again… too late. By the time Lucy reached Natsu, most of the floor had begun cracking and collapsing. Screaming their brains out, the group fell into the dark abyss, except Happy, who managed to bring out his wings just in the nick of time.

They all suffered a harsh landing over the debris from the collapsed floor. Gingerly getting up, Natsu looked around. It was very dark, except for the light that shined from above them. From that light, he could discern a silhouette of a cavern's mouth. Lighting his fist on fire, Natsu began walking towards the opening.

"Damn it, pinky. Why the hell did you do that?! We could've died!" shouted Gray, but was ignored by the pink-haired Dragon Slayer. A strangled moan was heard from the rubble not far away from them.

"Is everyone okay…?" rang Lucy's voice, and it sounded pained.

"Yeah, we're fine, Lucy. Well… I'm fine, I don't know about ice pervert over here…" Natsu replied, walking towards Lucy's voice.

"HEY!"

"How about you?" continued Natsu, ignoring Gray once again. He needed to keep her talking, so he could locate her much faster throughout the still airborne dust that prevented him from smelling her out.

"I'm a little hurt, but it shouldn't be anything too serious," Lucy's voice answered, sounding less pained than before. She stood up, removing some of the rubble that had fallen on her and dusting her clothes off.

"Ah! There you are!" said Natsu, walking towards her with his fiery fist pointed towards her. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I should be able to. I'm surprised, though. After a fall from that height, I should be crippled," answered Lucy, looking up at the large hole Natsu caused. "What could've protected us?"

"Who cares? I found an opening to a cave over there!" Natsu stated, pointing excitedly at the cave's mouth.

"Where are we, anyway?" asked Gray.

"We're under the temple, ice queen. That's obvious…" Natsu deadpanned.

"I don't remember asking you, stupid pyro!" Gray retorted.

"That doesn't matter right now! We need to find a way out of here!" Lucy shouted over them.

"NATSU! GRAY! LUCY!" shouted a squeaky voice. Everyone looked up to see Happy nose-diving towards Natsu's chest, large tears flowing out of his eyes.

"Happy! There you are, buddy!" Natsu shouted back, spreading his arms wide just before the little flying cat slammed into his chest and gripped his waistcoat tightly, sobbing loudly.

"I'm s-s-so glad y-y-you are s-s-safe!" Happy sobbed, shaking. He managed to stop shaking before continuing, "If it weren't for Lucy's weight, none of this would've happened!"

"I'M NOT THAT HEAVY, YOU STUPID CAT!" Lucy shrieked, her face red. "IT WAS ALL NATSU'S FAULT!"

"That doesn't matter, Happy. All that matters is that we're okay," Natsu reassured, tightening his hold on the little cat. "Let's explore this place. There's an opening over there."

Walking towards the cavern's mouth with Happy perched on his shoulder, Natsu gestured for Lucy and Gray to follow him without turning.

As they walked down the narrow cavern with Natsu leading, they took notice of the humidity and the overwhelming darkness of the environment, giving it a rather eerie feeling.

"Is it me, or is this cave getting colder?" asked Lucy shakily, rubbing her arms vigorously to try and generate a bit more heat.

"No, it's not you, Lucy. It is getting colder," Natsu replied. "I don't think ice princess over here can feel it, though."

"What you say, flame brain?" retorted Gray.

"Quit it, you two…" Lucy snapped.

"Hey, look! There's an opening!" Natsu called, ignoring Lucy.

And he was right. There was an opening to a chamber in the cave, and it seemed larger than the first opening. When they got near it, they marveled at how big the chamber was becoming. However, another, far more terrifying discovery was awaiting them.

When they entered the chamber, they saw an enormous block of ice, as tall as the cave's ceiling, which was about 80 meters tall, perched at the end of it.

"Is that… _ice_?" Lucy asked amazedly. "B-B-But… how?"

"That's not the problem right now, Lucy… What's _inside_ the ice is the problem," stated Natsu, capturing Gray's full attention along with Lucy and Happy.

"I-Inside? What do you mean?" she inquired, confused. Natsu pointed at a spot near the top of the block.

"Look," was all he said as he walked forward and saw a pond near them. Dipping his unlit hand into the water, he took notice of the lower than normal temperatures and deduced that the water came from the ice.

Gray, Lucy and Happy did as Natsu told them and looked at where he pointed. All of their eyes went as wide as they could go. Two of them were of shock and fear… the other one… was rage… unadulterated, unrestrained rage.

"Why?" Gray managed to growl through his tightly gritted teeth, taking a few, shaky steps forward with his fists balled tightly. "WHY IS HE HERE?!"

"Gray?"

Gray ignored Lucy, still walking forward, his eyes full of anger, hate, sorrow and grief. Tears began to form in his eyes as he fell to his knees and stared at the unholy thing in front of him… the thing that caused him so much pain when he was younger… the Demon of Destruction…

"_Deliora_…"

…

Draxnor had warned Erza… he had told her to eat her cheesecake slices quickly, for she faced certain risks… but she didn't pay heed to his warnings. She ate the slices slowly, attempting to enjoy every little piece of it that graced the confines beyond her lips.

The end result?

Erza screaming in delight throughout most of their train journey from Magnolia to Hargeon, earning some rather inquisitive stares from other passengers who were unfortunate enough to sit in the same car as them, forced to hear Erza's show… which Draxnor found slightly annoying. He was starting to regret not telling her that the potion did not in fact leave a bad aftertaste. Maybe he should've told her the truth straight out… but where was the fun in that? A little lie wouldn't hurt, after all… At first, it did provide some refreshing amusement, especially with the fact that Fairy Tail's "Titania" Erza was screaming like an actual girl over slices of cheesecake… but as the train ride went on, it did start to wear on his patience.

It was a good thing they were over that now, for they were on a pirate ship headed to Galuna Island. It took them more than a few hours to find them, though. She was right… nobody wanted to take them there for fear of being cursed. According to people, the curse made you lose your humanity and become a bloodthirsty monster. While at some point it did seem credible, Draxnor knew otherwise. He also managed to catch a rumor about a purple moon appearing at night over the island. But that was all that it was… a rumor… a rumor that _he_ spread over three years ago along with the curse's rumor. He knew _exactly_ what was going on in Galuna Island… but nobody needed to know _that_.

How did they convince the pirates to bring them over? Simple… she threatened to castrate them after she had caught them checking her out, albeit carefully due to the fact that Draxnor was with her. She sounded so serious that the pirates literally cowered and kneeled before her, promising that they would take wherever she wanted, even to the ends of the earth if she ever had to. It made Draxnor cringe considerably, earning an amused smirk from her.

Yup, the trip seemed to be going rather smoothly. The pirates treated them like royalty, giving them whatever they wanted, bowing shortly afterwards before scurrying away to do their respective duties. The captain of the ship even gave up his quarters to the both of them, though Draxnor decided to stay outside and let Erza have the room so she could rest. After all, while she was able to walk 20 minutes after drinking the potion, it did not mean that she was fully healed or at full magic power.

Draxnor knocked on the black door that led to the captain's quarters. The black ship wasn't the largest he had seen. It was more of a caravel, with two masts: the frontal and the larger central one. Both of these had large, black sails with a standard-looking jolly roger drawn on the main sail. Just above the main mast was a small crow's nest. The most prominent feature of the ship was a very large and pointy figurehead that looked like a snout with long rows of sharp teeth-like protrusions.

"Who is it?" asked Erza from the other side, and she sounded slightly annoyed.

"It's Draxnor…" Draxnor replied. "Am I interrupting?"

"No… you can come in," she answered. Draxnor opened the door and saw Erza sitting on the captain's chair, with her feet on the desk in front of her. The captain's room was rather small, with only one small window behind the desk, the brown wooden walls decorated with what seemed to be the loot of some of their past raids on other cities.

"Is there something you need?" she asked, looking at him sternly while standing up.

"How far are we?" Draxnor asked.

"We shouldn't be too far, now. We've been traveling for a few hours already, and night is starting to fall upon us," she replied, walking outside the cabin.

"Not good… I sense trouble…" Draxnor stated, earning an interested look from her.

"Really? What kind of trouble?" she asked.

"I sense a large amount of magical energy being released in that direction," he said, pointing to the sea in front of them, where the white full moon was beautifully perched in the starry night sky. "Can you feel it?"

Turning to the direction Draxnor pointed, Erza nodded.

"Yes… I do. By any chance, do you know what's releasing all the magical energy?" she asked.

"No," he replied, shaking his head. "But whatever, or whoever, _is_ releasing the energy is a threat."

"Damn it… what do we do?" she inquired, clenching her teeth.

"How far are we from the island?" he asked simply.

"I really don't know," replied Erza truthfully. "I would say another hour at this speed."

"Not good enough…" stated Draxnor simply. "We have to get there now and find out what's going on. Natsu, Happy, Lucy and Gray could be in danger or already dead for all we know…"

"Don't you ever say that again!" reprimanded Erza sternly, a slightly panicked expression invading her beautiful features. For what it seemed, the thought of losing Natsu or her comrades had never entered her mind.

"Sorry about that," replied Draxnor, bowing slightly. "I guess I have no choice… None of your armors allow you to fly for extended periods of time, right?"

When she shook her head, Draxnor sighed.

"Well, that is to be expected… I guess I have to use _that_ spell…"

"What spell?" she asked curiously.

"You'll see… now please, step back," he ordered politely to everyone, including Erza. The pirates that were watching them intently nodded fervently and did as they were told. Erza did so as well, albeit slightly reluctantly. She had witnessed Draxnor's destructive power. If he asked them to step back, something great was about to take place.

After everyone had stepped away from Draxnor, he gripped the left side of his trench coat with his right hand and yanked it off, flames enveloping him in the process. Gasps and cries of shock could be heard amongst the crew, while Erza only stared intently. When the flames cleared, he stood there, his trench coat and shirt gone. He then crouched, crossing his forearms in front of his chest, reminiscent of when he powered up during the battle. He sighed, closing his eyes.

"Here goes…"

Time seemed to slow slightly as the crew, including Erza, watched him with bated breath. She inhaled sharply when she felt his energy spike up almost violently.

"Draxnor, what are you doing?"

"**Six Winged King: Wings of the Fallen Angel!"**

Draxnor unleashed a fierce roar of war and pain as six considerably sized bulges appeared on his upper back, on top of where his scapula was supposed to be. Everyone watched… some in horror and some in awe, as the bulges began to grow in size, causing a small amount of blood to flow out.

"Draxnor, what the hell are you doing?!" shouted Erza with concern. He ignored her concerned call as six blood-red spikes began to poke out of his back. She cried in shock as she saw six long, pitch black streamer-like wings with blood-red spikes at the end burst out of his back. His eyes widened considerably, and he growled in pain as the six wings flexed and pointed towards the astounded Erza and the horrified pirate crew. The wings were in pairs: the upper, the middle, and the bottom.

However, the wings began to morph, melding together to form large devil wings, with two spikes pointing down and one pointing away from him, that spread out majestically, almost invisible in the moonlit night.

"Damn… I didn't expect this to hurt so much…" muttered Draxnor, flapping his wings slowly, testing them out, feeling the blood trickling down his back.

"I can't believe it…" was all Erza could say. "Where did you develop such magic?"

"I developed it a few years ago. This spell allows me to actually fly. During our battle, you saw me float, but I can't fly without these. I haven't used these in a long time, hence the pain," Draxnor explained. He walked towards her. "But enough explanations, we must get to the island now."

"Are you sure you can fly with me? Wouldn't it be too much for you?" inquired Erza.

"Unless you have any better ideas of getting there fast, then whether it is too much or not does not matter…" Draxnor stated, turning towards the captain, a short, chubby man with a long brown beard. "Captain Newgate…"

"Yargh, what you need, master Draxnor?" Newgate piped up, rushing over to him and bowing.

"First, I assure you that there is no curse near the island, so you shouldn't worry about anything of the sort," stated Draxnor, earning a nod from the short captain and his crew and a rather suspicious and interested look from Erza. "Second, I want you to stay near the island for when we are done. We will send this…" he raised his palm and fired a red beam into the sky. "… as a calling signal for you to come pick us up. Understand?"

"Yargh, aye, sir! We will be watching closely!" Newgate shouted, saluting. "Ye heard, ye dirty mongrels! Watch the sky for any sign of Master Draxnor's beam!"

"AYE, CAP'N!" shouted the crew, saluting their captain in unison.

"Don't get too close to the island, though. I have a feeling that it's going to get ugly," warned Draxnor. The captain nodded as Erza narrowed her eyes.

"Good… Let's go, Erza," he continued. "We have little time…"

"Right," she replied, walking towards him, and then turning away from him, raising her arms in the process. He, knowing what she meant, grabbed her waist securely. She gripped his hands.

"Hold on tight," he muttered, crouching slightly, his wingspan spreading fully before shooting into the air. A small cry of surprise left her lips as they sped through the night, headed for Galuna Island at speeds equal, if not superior to her **Flight Armor**. She turned around to try to see how Draxnor was doing, and her eyes widened slightly, for he was wincing in pain. Noticing her increasingly worried expression, he smiled reassuringly.

"There's no need to worry!" he shouted over the wind, his wings flapping strongly through his pain. "It's not as bad as it may seem. Besides, the life of everyone on the island matters more than my back pain."

Erza nodded slowly in understanding and steeled her expression, readying herself for any potential dangers she might face to get Natsu out of there safely.

"We're almost there," called out Draxnor, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked forward to see that he was right… the island was not so far away. Only a few minutes have passed since they left the ship. How fast was he?

"I sense trouble up ahead in the forest," he called out, gesturing towards the lush jungle close to the shore.

"I sense it, too," she stated. "Can you take us closer?"

"Sure thing," he replied. "I'm going to drop you off first at the site of the trouble, and then I will take the sky for a few seconds to survey the island. Sound good?"

Erza nodded, requipping a pair of short swords. They were already above the shore, flying directly at the designated location.

"On three…" instructed Draxnor, earning another nod. "Three… two… one… Go!"

Erza felt Draxnor release her waist from his firm grip and she began to descend very rapidly. Her eyes widened slightly. She did not expect _this_ kind of drop off. She actually expected him to land, leave her there, and then fly off. But, oh well…

"**Requip!"**

Knowing the impact was going to be rather harsh at the speed she was traveling, she requipped into her **Black Wing Armor** and slowed down drastically before she passed the tree canopy into a small clearing near the shore. As she landed, she skidded across the ground, picking up dust and debris before slowing into a complete halt. Looking up, she saw Draxnor flap his way into the sky. Erza suddenly heard a small, very familiar gasp.

"E-E-Erza?!" the voice squeaked. Erza turned around to see Lucy, on the ground, covered in dirt, with her shirt torn off, leaving her voluptuous chest covered only by a pink bra. Her brown eyes were wide with shock and fear. Erza's first reaction was of concern, until she remembered why she came in the first place, and it was replaced by a very furious look.

"Lucy…" she seethed softly, making Lucy squeak again in fear.

"Lucy, where are you?!" squeaked another very familiar voice… Natsu's cat companion, Happy. The little flying cat flew from one of the trees a few feet away from them. Instantly, he noticed Erza's furious glower and cowered behind Lucy.

"ERZA?!" he screamed. "WHAT ARE _YOU_ DOING HERE?!"

"I'm here to take you back…" she growled, an angry smirk taking over her beautiful features. "You have broken a very important rule… The punishment will be severe. But first, we must gather the remaining members of the party…"

She cracked her knuckles as she said that and pointed her sword at them, earning frightened whimpers from Lucy and Happy.

"Would you quit ignoring me?!" shouted an unfamiliar voice from behind them. Erza turned around to see a young lady with long pink hair tied in pigtails, striking blue sapphires for eyes and rosy lips. She wore a choker tied into a ribbon, a purple and pink short spaghetti dress with pink trimmings that hugged her curvaceous body and voluptuous breasts tightly, black leggings, and high-heeled sandals.

"Who the heck are you?" asked Erza rudely, thoroughly shocking the pink-haired girl.

"Ah, how rude! In the name of my LOVE for the Cold Emperor, I will get rid of you Fairy Tail weaklings!" she shouted, hugging herself in a very loving manner. This earned very a confused stare from Erza.

"**Doll Attack: Rock Doll!"**

As she raised her hand after casting the spell, a large amount of rocks began to move towards the large boulder she was standing on and began to compile, taking the shape of a large golem. She stood on its head.

"Die, weaklings!" she screamed. The golem raised a massive rocky fist and threw it at them.

"Who are you calling weaklings?!" shouted a voice from above them. Everyone, including the pink-haired girl, looked up to see who had said that, but Erza already knew. Suddenly, Draxnor landed harshly in between the would-be battlers, his two devil wings morphing back into the six original ones and pointing menacingly towards the golem, making Lucy and Happy scream in shock. The girl atop the golem stared wide-eyed at the new intruder in their battle. The golem's fist, however, was still directed straight at them, with Draxnor the first to be hit. He raised his right fist and brought it back.

"**Black Armament!"**

He lunged at the gigantic fist as his arm turned into the familiar solid black color. The crash that ensued shook the area around them, but it was clear who had the stronger fist as the golem's entire arm began to crumble into dust.

"KYYAAAAAA! HE BROKE THE GIANT FIST WITH HIS BARE HANDS?!" cried Lucy shrilly, her eyes bugging out of her sockets in unadulterated shock with a little tinge of fear thrown in.

"WHAT?! HOW CAN THIS BE?!" the pink-haired girl shouted in disbelief.

"Simple… this rock is too weak compared to my strength…" Draxnor muttered softly, but still loud enough for everyone to hear. His arm had returned to normal.

"I will not accept this! In the name of love, I will crush you!" she shrieked, raising her hand. The golem listened to her command and raised its remaining fist to attempt to punch Draxnor.

"Then bring it!" he roared, jumping towards the fist. Everyone braced themselves for a sure impact, but just before the blow landed, Draxnor veered off and redirected the punch with his feet. The fist slammed into the ground a few meters away from the female wizards while Draxnor sped into the golem's chest. He stopped just before he hit, placing both of his fists in front of him, his right over his left, and the wings closed in on the fists, the spikes pointing in the same direction.

"What are you doing?!" shrieked the girl, before inhaling sharply as Draxnor's magical energy spiked.

"**Six Winged Blaster!"**

A massive, powerful shockwave struck the golem, virtually disintegrating it as many small pieces of rock flew away into the night. The sections that weren't directly affected just collapsed into the ground, along with the pink-haired girl, who was screaming in terror. Just as she was about to smash into the now debris-filled clearing, one of Draxnor's wings shot towards her and wrapped around her waist. The shock cut her scream off and she began to weep softly.

"Oh, my love… I, Sherry Blendy, have lost… I will never be able to face him…" she lamented. However, she was cut off abruptly by Draxnor's death glare. Her blood ran cold, lament replaced by pure, unadulterated fear of the man that made quick work of her golem. Her eyes were wide, showcasing the total fear that surged through her mind and veins as she looked into his deep brown eyes. She could've sworn she saw a glint of red swimming through them.

"So… let me ask you again… who's the weakling?" he growled softly, not needing to shout at her to make her cower… the softness of his voice was just as deadly…

Her whimpering increasing in volume, she closed her eyes, her face scrunching as she tried to squirm from the grip that was almost squeezing the life out of her.

"That's enough, Draxnor… Release her…" ordered Erza patiently. Draxnor sighed, closed his eyes and did as he was told, placing her gently on the ground before unwinding his wing from her waist. However, his wings were still pointed menacingly at her. Her whimpering did not cease for a moment as she fell to her knees, her choking and sharp inhales piercing the silence that ruled the air.

"Leave..._ now,_" he ordered Sherry, pointing to the forest. She quickly nodded her head, stood up and ran off into the night. Draxnor sighed before he turned and faced Erza, who was now standing over Lucy, her sword pointed once again at her, giving her a glare made the blonde squeak in fear. The little flying cat, Happy, was still behind her, his little face full of fear as well. He sighed once again before beginning the slightly painful process of retracting his wings back into his body. This snapped everyone out of their respective stupors as they turned to see what Draxnor was doing. Slowly, but surely, the wings receded, until they were nothing but bleeding slits on his upper back…

"Are you okay, Draxnor?" asked Erza, requipping into her **Heart Kreuz Armor**.

"I'll be fine," he replied. "I found the source of the large amount of released magical energy we sensed earlier."

"Well?" she prompted.

"They're using **Moon Drip** on a temple not too far from here. I don't know _why_ they're using it, but it doesn't seem well-intentioned."

"I know why they're using it!" piped up Lucy, standing up and dusting herself off. Both Draxnor and Erza quickly snapped their attention towards her, and she backed away slowly, intimidated by their intent stares.

"Well?" prompted Erza again.

"They're using it to unfreeze this huge demon called Deliora or something like that," Lucy explained, earning a small gasp from Erza. Draxnor, however, closed his eyes and smirked, shocking Lucy.

"I see… so that big, ugly idiot decides to show his face again…" he muttered softly, but loud enough for everyone present to hear.

"You know about Deliora?" asked Lucy, surprised.

"Of course I do. It is one of Zeref's creations. Popularly called the "Demon of Destruction", it caused havoc up in the north, but it suddenly disappeared 10 years ago. I guess this is where he has been all this time…" Draxnor replied.

"Who's Zeref?" asked Happy, slight confusion on his small face.

"He was the most powerful dark mage to ever exist. He used **Black Arts**, the darkest magic a wizard can use…" Draxnor continued. "He was also a known user of **Living Magic**, granting him ability to breathe life into things… create demons, basically."

"Like Lullaby," Erza spoke softly.

"Exactly… wait, how do you know about Lullaby?" Draxnor inquired curiously.

"We destroyed it not long ago when we fought the Dark Guild Eisenwald," she replied. "They were planning on using it on all the guild masters at the Guild Masters' Conference."

"I see… quite a foolish move…" he muttered, impressed by the fact that Lullabywas destroyed… by a few wizards, no less. From what he knew, it usually took scores of wizards to bring down a demon of that caliber, but he also had to remind himself that this was Fairy Tail he was talking about. Those usual rules _never _applied to them.

"Of course… We managed to stop them in their tracks and defeat Lullaby after…" Erza began, but trailed off suddenly, deep in thought.

"After it showed its true form…" Draxnor finished, earning a surprised nod from Erza, Lucy and Happy. "It must have been difficult to defeat such a demon."

"It was… we almost lost Natsu to it…" Erza stated softly, closing her eyes. Lucy and Happy had grim expressions after she said that.

"I imagine… Fighting creations of Zeref is no walk in the park…" Draxnor commented.

"It's not… wait… how do you know so much about demons and Zeref?" asked Erza, looking at him intently, closely followed by the others.

"I didn't tell you?" Draxnor asked confusedly. Erza shook her head. "My, my… forgive me… I was a demon hunter when I was younger, so, naturally, I am well versed when it comes to demons and Zeref, since he was the creator of many of them."

"I see…" Erza muttered, ignoring the visibly paled and shocked expressions from Lucy and Happy.

"Anyways, we have a job to do right? Pick up everyone that broke the rules and take them back to the guild for punishment…" he stated.

"You're right…"

"Wait, Erza! Draxnor! We need to help the people in the village!" shouted Lucy, genuine concern tinting her voice. "If we don't, they will be cursed forever! We have to do something!"

"Well… speak your mind. What did they ask?" Draxnor prompted.

"They asked us to destroy the moon!" Lucy said.

"Destroy the moon? That's impossible…" he deadpanned, looking up at the sky. "Oh… by the way… Erza, the moon _is_ purple…"

"YOU BARELY NOTICED IT?!" Lucy and Happy shouted in shock.

"Really?" asked Erza, ignoring the two. "Well… no matter. Tell me, Lucy, where are Natsu and Gray?"

"Well, I don't know where Natsu is, having left for the temple a while ago, but Gray is back at the village, although he's really hurt," Lucy replied.

"WHAT?!" shouted Erza, making the celestial wizard and the flying cat cower. "Why didn't you tell us before?!"

"I tried! But…" Lucy began, but was interrupted by Draxnor.

"That doesn't matter right now. Let's go to the village and tend to Gray, and then find Natsu later on. The village is in that direction, although it is pretty much destroyed except for what seems to be a storage hut in the outskirts."

"Right," the other three replied, looking in the direction Draxnor pointed. He raised his hand, bursting into flames shortly afterwards.

"AAACKK! He's on fire!" screamed Happy along with Lucy. Just as they finished screaming, the flames dissipating, revealing Draxnor in his blue long-sleeve button up shirt left unbuttoned at the top and his trench coat draped over his shoulders. He, however, took it off quickly.

"Here, Lucy… It's a little chilly," he offered, extending his coat towards the almost half-naked girl. She shivered, seemingly noticing the chilliness just after he mentioned it.

"Oh!" she said, blushing slightly. "Are you sure? Won't you be cold?"

"Nah… I'm fine. I'm not the one that is almost half naked…" he pointed out, earning a small squeak and a slightly brighter blush from Lucy.

"Oh! Well… thanks, Draxnor," she replied, taking the coat from his hands and quickly putting it on. Instantly, she felt very pleasurable warmth surrounding her body, with his strong masculine scent invading her nostrils.

"Well… we should get going," Draxnor said, walking in the direction of the village, not looking back to see if the girls and cat followed him or not. Erza, Lucy and Happy nodded and quickly caught up with him, maintaining his fast pace quite easily.

Some 15 minutes passed when Draxnor, Erza, Lucy and Happy at the village… or what remained of it. Draxnor was right… where the village was supposed to be resided a giant round hole with a piece of land jutting out in the middle, seemingly the village square. There was nothing on that small piece of land. Smoke was rising from the other side of the hole, meaning that the villagers must've moved to that certain location.

"You were right… the village is practically nonexistent right now…" acknowledged Erza. "But, how did it happen?"

"Well, that girl that Draxnor just beat and a few others flew by on a giant rat and dropped a sort of green jelly on the village. Natsu ordered everyone in the village to gather at the square and redirected the jelly with his **Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame**, but instead of dispersing it _outside_ the village, it fell _on_ the village, although nobody was hurt," Lucy explained exasperatedly.

"That idiot… he always goes overboard," growled Erza, face palming. "Well, that doesn't matter. Take us to the place where Gray is at."

"Right… the storage area of this village shouldn't be too far from here. It should be just across the hole," said Lucy, pointing right across the hole.

"Oh, yeah… not too far, you say," muttered Happy sarcastically. Lucy glared at the cat.

"Shut up, stupid cat!"

"Well… anyways, we must go," Draxnor cut them off before they began an argument. It seemed to him that these two caused quite a ruckus amongst themselves… repeatedly. He almost did not want to imagine how Natsu and Gray would be. He felt slightly sympathetic towards Erza. Having to deal with this particular group was seemingly no walk in the park.

Shortly after a silent trek _around_ the hole, much to Draxnor's chagrin, who wanted to go _through_ the hole, the group of wizards made it to the other side of the hole. The smoke was a lot clearer now, and from where it rose did not seem too far from the remnants of the village like Lucy said. After walking at a brisk pace through the woods, they came across a sizable clearing with a few large, skin-colored tents perched, spaced equally.

"Ah, so you're back!" called out a voice. Everyone turned to the owner of the voice and was met with a short, purple demon full of violet spots with very long white sideburns extending down to his hips. His feet, along with his hands, were blue claws. He wore a necklace of what seemed to be large animal teeth with a small skull as a decoration, a dark blue cape draped over his shoulders with a crescent moon symbol, a tribal-like kilt cut decoratively, and three gold rings on both of his legs and his left arm. He carried a simple staff with a crescent moon at the upper tip.

"Ah, hello, Chief Moka!" called out Lucy, slightly nervously. Erza and Draxnor wondered why, but the question was quickly answered when Moka was suddenly right in front of Lucy's face.

"So… have you destroyed the moon yet?" he muttered, before quickly jumping back and facing Draxnor and Erza. "And who might you be?"

"Creepy!" Lucy screamed softly.

"Oh… I'm Erza, and this is Draxnor. We're both members of Fairy Tail," Erza replied. "We have come to retrieve our fellow guild mate, Gray. In which tent is he?"

"Oh, he's in that one," he said, pointing towards the tent closest to them.

"Thanks," she replied. "Let's go."

Walking into the large tent, they noticed a large amount of crates and boxes stacked up neatly, pushed to three edges of the tent, leaving the entrance and the center of the tent completely clear. Lying in front of them, under covers, with most of his body bandaged, was Gray. He seemed to be sleeping.

"I would be silent…" stated Draxnor softly. "Erza… stay here with Lucy and Happy. I'll go retrieve Natsu… if that's okay with you, of course."

"Yes, that's fine. Make sure you bring him back as soon as possible. I have a few things to discuss with him," she muttered, an evil glint appearing in her eyes.

"I will," was all he said before exiting the tent. Erza found a chair not so far from where Gray was and sat on it. It was seemingly the only chair in the room.

"Sit," she ordered patiently to Lucy.

"Where?" she inquired.

"On the floor, where else," replied Erza.

"But what about Draxnor's coat?" asked Lucy.

"He won't mind, I assure you… now just sit…"

"Why are you treating me like this!" shouted Lucy impassively.

"Because you broke a rule! Or do you want me to tie you up?" Erza countered heatedly, giving Lucy a glare that chilled her bones. She frantically shook her head. "Well, then… sit."

"Yes, ma'am!" she squeaked, quickly throwing herself on the ground, wincing slightly at the pain.

"We will wait here until Draxnor comes back with Natsu. Then we will leave this island…"

"Wait, what?! I thought you said we were going to help the villagers!" cried Lucy indignantly.

"I never said such a thing. It was Draxnor who gave a semblance of such a statement, not me," Erza retorted.

"Aw, come on, Erza! Don't be so mean! They need our help!" said Happy, using his most innocent voice to try to get her to relent. However, it did not seem to work.

"I said NO, Happy!" Erza nearly bellowed. "We were ordered by Master Makarov to retrieve you all and take you back for punishment!"

"**Six Winged King: Wings of the Fallen Angel!"**

Draxnor's cry interrupted the argument, assisted by the large spike in magical energy. Lucy and Happy shivered slightly, while Erza looked at the tent's entrance indifferently.

"For some odd reason, his magic feels awfully creepy," pointed out Lucy. Happy nodded fervently while Erza had no change in expression.

"Think so?" she asked, a bored tone ruling her voice. Lucy nodded, just as fervently as Happy. An awkward silence ruled the group for a little while. Lucy kept fidgeting while Happy was perched on her shoulder, looking up, worrying about Natsu. Erza seemed to be doing the same, only she was more discreet. Gray stirred ever so slightly, going unnoticed by the girls and cat. He slowly opened one eye, but quickly closed it, pretending to still be asleep.

"So… what's his story?" asked Lucy suddenly, snapping the silence. Erza blinked momentarily before looking at her in the eye.

"Who… Draxnor's?" she inquired, earning a nod from the celestial wizard. "Oh… well, I don't know much about him yet. He joined yesterday after he walked in on the rainy afternoon. After a very brief scuffle between Elfman and him, I became interested in his power so I challenged him to a match, sure that I would win, but after a long battle, he beat me…"

"EEEEEEEHHHHH?! HE BEAT YOU?!" screamed Lucy, her eyes as wide as they could go. Happy was screaming in terror and shock at that. Even Gray, who was pretending to be asleep, had his eyes wide open. Erza nodded simply, as if beating her was not a big deal. "IS HE THAT STRONG?!"

Erza once again nodded, expressionless. It seemed to Lucy that she didn't care whether she lost or not, but in reality, Erza was slightly nervous about telling Natsu that she lost, breaking the promise she made long ago. There was no avoiding it, now that she was here in Galuna Island, just a short distance from wherever he was. Gray stirred once again, and this time it was noticed by Erza, who snapped out of her thoughts.

"Gray! You woke up!" she said, relieved of one of her worries.

"Erza… what are you doing here?" he asked painfully.

"I'm here to retrieve you all and take you back to the master," Erza replied, instantly becoming serious. "Why didn't you bring them back like Master Makarov ordered?"

"It was already too late… By the time I got to them, they were already climbing a boat headed here. Besides, it was a good thing I didn't take them back."

"And why is that? Because of Deliora? Or because of the actual request?"

Gray was stunned into silence, his mouth hanging open. He tried to articulate words, but all he ever got out was incomprehensible gibberish.

"How… h-how do you know about Deliora?" Gray asked, finally recovering control of his voice.

"Lucy told me about the demon being here, and Draxnor mentioned Deliora attacking the north many years ago, where you are from. I couldn't help but assume that you were perhaps a victim of Deliora's assaults," Erza explained, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Who's this Draxnor guy?" Gray almost demanded, making Erza raise her eyebrows slightly.

"Draxnor is a new member of Fairy Tail. He joined when you all were breaking the rules, so you all were not able to meet him. Why?"

"Is it true that he beat you in a fight?" he demanded this time.

"Yeah, is there a problem with that?" she asked patiently. Gray paled slightly.

"No! Not at all. I was just wondering…"

"Very well… Once Draxnor comes back with Natsu we will leave this island," Erza stated.

"But…"

"No buts, Gray. You have broken a very important rule, and I will take you back for your punishment."

"What about the village?!" he shouted. "What are you going to tell them?"

"I'll just tell them that you were not qualified to take the job and ask for their forgiveness for any inconvenience we may have caused," she answered simply. Gray looked down, gritting his teeth. His face shook slightly before steeling his expression.

"No…"

"What did you say?"

"I will not leave. I am already here, involved in this job with that fire-breath. We already promised the villagers that we would do our best to lift the curse," Gray growled. It happened so quickly… Erza had her sword pointed towards Gray in a flash, shocking everyone.

"Don't do this, Gray…" was all Erza said. Gray closed his eyes before grabbing the blade, slicing some of his skin in the process. Blood stained the blade as it flowed and dripped to the floor.

"GRAY!" Lucy yelled in concern as Erza just looked at him seriously.

"I will, Erza. Listen to me… these people need us. Are you going to forsake them because _we _broke a _stupid rule_?" he snarled, glaring at her intently.

"_A stupid rule_? You seriously did not just say that, Gray Fullbuster. That rule is there for a good reason! You can die in S-Class Missions! Look at yourself! _You could've died_! And now Natsu is _missing_! He could be _hurt_ or _dead_, for all I know!" she cried, choking the last few words.

"But I'm not! That's all that matters to me! And he _is_ alive out there… somewhere. I'm not leaving Erza. Not after we promised to help them! I'm pretty damn sure flame-brain, Lucy and Happy feel the same way. And I'm also pretty sure that dude Draxnor feels similar even though he came with you! You're an S-Class Mage, Erza. Now you can give us the clearance to finish the mission without any trouble. Do this for us, right now. Not just for the village, but for Fairy Tail's reputation!" Gray shouted.

Erza gritted her teeth and looked down. He was right… Gray was totally right. These people needed help right now, and she would be forsaking them to a possible horrible future if they were to leave. Natsu surely felt the same way. He would be outraged at her if she were to pull them out of this mission. She didn't know if she could deal with his anger. While it was true that he has been angry at her before, it was just for petty reasons. Now, he would be _truly_ angry at her for going against his principles. She wouldn't let that happen, no matter what.

"Fine…" she relented, sighing deeply. "I will stay and finish the mission with you. But after we're done, you are still going to be punished!"

"That's the Erza I know," Gray smiled, but then paled considerably. "Wait, we're still getting punished?"

At Erza's nod, he drooped to the floor, his eyes unfocused. "Not that… please… not that," he muttered.

"Whoa, what got him in such a state?" asked Lucy.

"Oh, it's nothing," Erza replied, smiling mischievously. "The punishment for rule breakers tends to be rather disheartening, that's all…"

Lucy paled considerably, looking up at the tent's ceiling.

'_What did I get myself into?' _

…

A young woman, seemingly around 18 years old, with shoulder-length, wavy black hair with bangs covering her right eye was walking down a dark hall with lamps hung high and spaced equally on the walls. Towards the end of the hall was a silhouette of large, dark colored double doors. She was rather tall for a girl her age, standing at five feet with 11 inches, and she had very voluptuous curves, with her bountiful chest only covered by a dark purple bra, her seductively swaying hips covered by tight black shorts and long black high-heeled boots. She wore long, dark purple armbands that had one hole for her middle finger, and a long black trench coat with intricate dark purple designs running throughout the ends draped over her shoulders as if it were a cape. Her eyes were a deep gray, and a malevolent smile graced her delicate visage.

She had found him… _finally_. After three years of searching, she had found him. She couldn't believe it had taken her so long to find him, but there was good reason for that, for he was incredibly good at two things: _lying _and _hiding his tracks_. Thanks to that, nobody knew the man he was seven years ago existed… To the idiotic people around him, he was just a normal man… but he wasn't. The man that took her in when she was 11 years old, taught her almost all of the magic she currently knew, and then disappeared four years later on her fifteenth birthday… was a _monster_.

She wasn't going to let this opportunity at revenge slip away from her… not after he decided to show his handsome face after three years of disappearance. And to make things juicier, he showed up near the town of Magnolia, meaning that he most likely joined the guild _her_ guild hated: Fairy Tail…

He shouldn't have abandoned her, not after everything they went through together. Sure, it was just four years they spent together, but she developed such a strong bond with him that it destroyed her heart when he disappeared on her biggest day. But, while his disappearance left her an empty shell of her former self, hatred for the man slowly began to seep in… to fill the void that _he _so unceremoniously left.

'_You are my little sister… I'll always be there for you.'_

Those words filled her with so much joy... love… life… He was her everything, after he had _taken _away what _was_ her everything before him. She clenched her teeth in anger at the horrific memory. She had spent so many nights trying crying herself to sleep after the _horror_ that she witnessed. In time, though, she began to come to terms with it… all thanks to _him, _the person who _caused _it in the first place.

She didn't know how he had managed to get into her mind and make her love him so much. No… she knew… he didn't make her love him… _she_ loved him on her _own_ accord.

Stopping in front of the double doors, the girl sighed deeply, trying to put on a stoic expression before knocking on the door.

"Come in, child," answered a voice on the other side, prompting her to walk in.

The room was a small, very dimly lit office. The only source of light was a small candle that was set on a table to the right side of the room. There was one large window at the end of the room, but it was covered with long, thick black curtains, preventing any light from permeating. There was one shelf on either side of the window. A large desk was visible, along with two chairs in front of it and one behind it. The silhouettes of two men were visible, one standing, one sitting, facing opposite directions.

"I've heard from Gajeel here that you managed to find the man you've been searching for, child," the sitting silhouette spoke in an elderly voice, pointing what seemed to be a hand at the silhouette behind him. This was her Guild Master, master of the Phantom Lord Guild and one of the Ten Wizard Saints, Jose Porla. Although his outfit wasn't exactly visible in the darkness, it resembled an outfit a run-of-the-mill sorcerer would wear, with what seemed to be a high-collared coat with a long pointy wizard's hat. The things that stood out more were the two bat-like wings he had on his back. Even though his outfit was not easily discernible, his eyes were. They were cold… calculating… _powerful_.

"I have, master," she spoke, bowing slightly. "According to trusted sources of mine, he was last spotted in the outskirts of Magnolia."

"Magnolia, you say? Good, child. Now let me ask you something. Why do you want to kill this man? You never really gave us specifics on him… not even his name. All you ever said is that he was your brother, a criminal and that you wanted revenge against him when you joined," Jose spoke.

"That's all I want, Master… revenge… nothing more," replied the girl simply.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" he asked, smiling through his serious tone.

"I-I don't know…" she replied honestly. Gajeel smirked.

"You want to kill him yet you don't know how? Pathetic… Is he strong?" he asked, not turning around. She nodded.

"Really? Maybe _I_ should kill him for you," he mocked, turning over to sneer at her. She got a good look at him now through the darkness. He was slightly taller than her, standing at about six feet and one inch, and he had long, black spiky hair slicked back extending down to his waist. He had red eyes and no visible eyebrows. The most prominent features on his face were the small, nigh invisible studs he had on where his eyebrows were supposed to be, on either side of his nose, and on his chin. He wore two sets of five earrings on his ears. He was very lean and muscular, wearing a shabby black sleeveless tunic with studded edges, a studded belt on his waist, loose beige pants tucked inside studded black boots, and studded brown gloves. The things that stood out the most on his body were the black wing-like ornament he had attached to his right shoulder with a stud and four studs on each of his forearms.

"You won't stand a chance against him, _Gajeel_," she spat. "I know _I_ have a much better chance of killing him, but still…"

"Oh? Is the _little girl _not strong enough to kill her older brother?" Gajeel mocked. "Tell me… Is it fear?"

"Look, tin head, I know him well enough to know he's no damn pushover. If I were to venture a guess, I would say he's as strong as Master Jose, _one of the Ten Wizard Saints_, if not stronger," she growled. She was about to say something else but Gajeel and Jose's loud laughter cut her off.

"Him? As strong as me? You must be joking, child!" laughed Jose coldly. "What makes you say that?"

"Forgive me, Master," she apologized, bowing. "It slipped my mouth. No one is as strong as you."

"Damn right you are," Gajeel smirked.

"However, you have me interested. I have seen your strength, child. You easily rival Gajeel and Aria's strength, perhaps even surpass them._ I _would venture a guess that you're as strong as Fairy Tail's Titania Erza. If he is that much stronger, why not just have him join us?" asked Jose, seemingly ignoring Gajeel's comment of him being stronger than Erza, but his smile said otherwise. "Instead of killing him and losing a seemingly very talented wizard to death's welcoming arms, why not have him live and make him one of our own? He would…"

"He doesn't deserve it, Master!" she interrupted loudly. "He doesn't deserve to live after the crimes he committed… after what he did to me!"

"Oh? What a shame…" Jose spoke sarcastically. "Such a waste…"

"The only problem, though… would be luring him into a trap he won't be able to escape from…" she continued, deep in thought.

"That little problem is solved, child," replied Jose, smiling widely. "We attack the weaklings in Fairy Tail and force them to go to war against us. If he _was_ last sighted at Magnolia, then that's where he most likely is."

"How do you want us to do that?" asked Gajeel.

"Oh, that is simple… You will attack the guild hall at night when nobody is there, while she surveys the town for him. This will get some members riled up and wary of us, but it will not be enough to get Makarov angry. The old geezer is too soft for that. Afterwards, both of you will target a few of the fairy scum and attack them, in the dead of night. If you brother is as good as you say, child, he should sense the danger and come running. There, both of you can ambush him and take him down," Jose stated, smiling.

"But what if he brings backup?" asked Gajeel. "Knowing these fairy weaklings, they are bound to be together."

"That is why I'm putting both of you together on that job," he replied simply.

"Besides, I doubt he'll bring backup. He's more of a lone wolf. He prefers to do things alone," the girl stated.

"That makes things much better. _You _get something, child, while _we_ get something as well," said Jose, surprising the other two.

"Really… and what would that be?" Gajeel asked, interested.

"I was contacted yesterday by none other than Jude Heartfilia, owner of the Heartfilia Konzern. He requested us to bring his long-lost daughter, Lucy Heartfilia, back to him, by any means necessary. We've also gathered from a few reliable sources that she is currently holed up with those Fairy Tail weaklings," Master Jose replied. "When we get her… we can use her as a means of bleeding the Heartfilia Konzern of their millions!"

"Really? If so, that's another reason to destroy those stupid fairies," muttered the girl, smiling evilly before turning around and walking towards the door. "I'll take my leave, Master. I need to prepare."

"Very well, child. Take care," said Master Jose as she left his office. She didn't notice that Gajeel had followed her shortly after.

Finally, she was going to have her revenge on _him_… the man that murdered her parents, took her in, and then abandoned her… the man she _hated _and _loved _with all her deeply scarred heart…

Draxnor Hellion…

…

* * *

><p><em><strong>And there you go! I hope you enjoyed reading this very lengthy chapter!<strong>_

_**Next time... Deliora is unleashed! Will it die instantly? Or will it roar to life and cause death and destruction on the unfortunate islanders? And who's the person Draxnor mentioned? Find out! **_

_**For now... review, review, review!**_

_**Until next time! Ciao!**_


	4. Natsu Dragneel vs Draxnor Hellion

_**Hello, everyone!**_

_**I return here with chapter 4 of The Holy Trinity! I have decided to give you the epic clash between Natsu and Draxnor! Who will emerge victorious? Well, find out below! **_

_**Like always, please read and review! (Flamers will be blatantly ignored. Seriously, if you don't like, don't read. Simple logic...)**_

_**Anyways, onto the story! **_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, its rights or any of its characters, spells, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima. I only own my OCs, my spells, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " "= **Dialogue**

**Requip " "= Spells and Magical Item Names**

_What? ' ' = _**Thoughts**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Natsu Dragneel vs. Draxnor Hellion<strong>

Natsu bolted up, grabbing his forehead tightly. He scrutinized his surroundings. He was in a sizable hole in the middle of the forest. He wasn't anywhere near the storage hut, that was a given. But where was he _exactly_?

He looked up into the sky and flinched slightly when rays of sunlight hit him directly. It was… morning…

"HOLY CRAP!" he shouted as he bolted to his feet. "I must've fallen asleep!"

Had he fallen asleep? He couldn't really tell, since all he could remember from the past night was him running through the forest trying to get to the temple. After that, he remembered nothing. His mind was completely blank after that. He rubbed his forehead.

"Yeah… I must've fallen asleep…"

Stretching out, Natsu sniffed his surroundings for the familiar smell of old temple throughout the multitude of smells and pinpointed it to his right. Sighing slightly, he trekked through the thick foliage of the forest. He noted that most of the plants were green, and some plants had virtually all colors of the rainbow.

As he arrived at the clearing that held the temple, Natsu began to remember why he came here in the first place. He was planning on destroying the pillars located under the temple, so it would destabilize and the **Moon Drip** would not hit Deliora's icy prison. After finding out that it was one of the few things that could melt the **Ice Shell**, he decided that interrupting the flow of **Moon Drip** was the best course of action. Before he knew it, he was already inside the temple.

While walking through the temple's aging corridors, Natsu used his very keen sense of smell once again to sniff out any people that might try to prevent him from doing his job. He got all of the nigh familiar smells, from the Cold Emperor's to his pink-haired lover, Sherry Blendy. However, he picked up two very unfamiliar scents… one of a woman, and one of a man. Both of them were under the temple, his planned destination.

Speeding up into a jog, he found a staircase leading under the temple. There, he broke into a sprint down the stairs until he came upon the room where the unfamiliar scents were.

Then he felt it… two very powerful magical signatures, emanating from the people in the room. One was a tall, very muscular man with spiky black hair, who was wearing a navy blue long sleeve shirt with black slacks and predominantly black shoes, and the other was a very short, slender old man with long green hair wearing a mask and a long brown robe which covered most of his body. They seemed to be involved in an argument since the tall man had his hand pointed towards the short man, who was backing away slightly. He couldn't discern what they were talking about.

He sniffed the air once again. The smell of the unknown woman hit his nostrils again, and this time, he saw where it originated from… the short, green-haired man. This confused Natsu slightly, but he shook his head, focusing on the taller man.

Without another thought, he lunged towards the man, his right fist raised as it bathed in flames.

"**Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"**

Natsu's flame-coated fist slammed into the taller man's cheek and sent him flying into the temple's wall, where he suffered a mighty crash, a large dust cloud and debris burying him. The man with the womanly scent took a few steps back, visibly shocked and then ran outside the room and deeper into the temple. Natsu didn't pay any attention to the short man and kept his eyes on the dust cloud. The tall man he just decked still did not show any signs of movement or anything…

"**Black Armament!"**

Suddenly, the man emerged from the dust, flying directly towards Natsu, with his right fist held behind him. Natsu, his eyes widening slightly at the man's impressive speed and his solid black arms, nimbly sidestepped the attack and watched as the man slammed his fist into one of the pillars that held the temple, completely destroying it.

"Whoa, wouldn't want to be hit by that one…" Natsu commented dryly before inhaling a large amount of air.

"**Fire Dragon's Roar!"**

A large stream of red-orange fire shot out of Natsu's mouth straight towards the black-fisted man. His black fists returned to normal as he raised his left hand with his palm open.

"**Force Shield!"**

Natsu saw with slight surprise as his opponent was surrounded by a large red magical dome that took the entire brunt of his attack and deflected it away, leaving the man completely unscathed. However, the man was pushed back slightly by the brute force of Natsu's attack.

Both warriors silently stared at each other as their spells dissipated. They scrutinized each other, attempting to read each other's minds and figure out their upcoming moves. The tall man broke the silence first while bringing his right fist behind him.

"**Black Armament!"**

Once again, he lunged towards Natsu, intending to strike his face.

'_I can see that the attack is powerful… But mine's stronger!'_ thought Natsu as he lunged towards his unfamiliar opponent, his right fist and elbow engulfed in flames.

"**Fire Dragon's Iron Elbow!"**

Solid black met blazing red-orange, unleashing an insanely powerful shockwave that cracked a considerable amount of the surroundings. Both of the fighters were flung back, skidding along the cracking ground until they stopped, roughly at the same time and at roughly the same distance from their meeting point. The man smirked at Natsu, with the pink-haired Dragon Slayer reciprocating the gesture.

"You're stronger than I expected…" Natsu commented cockily. "You're not like those other dudes I beat up. They were weak… and stupid. What's your name?"

"I guess I'll take that as a compliment, Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail's Salamander. The name's Draxnor," the man named Draxnor replied, smiling. "Shall we continue?"

"You bet! I'm all fired up!" Natsu replied, taking in a large breath while Draxnor raised his right palm up in the air, a rainbow colored orb appearing just above it.

"**Fire Dragon's Roar!"**

"**1000 Flames of Hell!"**

Natsu released his signature **Dragon's Roar** as Draxnor released a barrage of rainbow colored flames from his hand. Both attacks met in the exact spot where their fists met a little while ago. They locked, neither gaining an edge. However, the beams began to compile, forming a large orb of rainbow colored flames that exploded, destroying much of their battle arena and engulfing it in smoke. Natsu, feeling most of the temple collapsing, ran towards the nearest wall and blasted it away with one of his punches, surprisingly revealing the light of day.

Without thinking, he jumped towards the forest, using his **Fire Dragon's Claw** as a booster. Giving a back flip, Natsu eyed the temple closely, searching for any signs of Draxnor. There were none. Thinking their short scuffle was over, Natsu turned around to check for a good landing spot until he felt a massive spike of unstable magical energy.

'_What the…!' _thought Natsu. His eyes widened once again as he saw Draxnor flying straight at him at an incredible speed, his right fist once again surrounded by his **Black Armament**, but also by something else that seemed to be boiling.

"**Oblivion Fist!"**

'_Shit! Got to avoid that one!' _thought Natsu as he redirected his feet upward, changing directions completely.

Draxnor's certainly fatal attack barely missed him, but it seemed that it was just what Draxnor wanted when he landed a strong kick to his abdomen, making him gasp slightly in pain. Draxnor was about to kick Natsu to the ground, but he landed a powerful flame-enhanced kick to Draxnor's gut and used his body to propel himself to the ground, landing gracefully.

It was Draxnor's turn to grunt in pain as Natsu's kick stumped his initial forward momentum, making him land a short distance away from the pink-haired Dragon Slayer. Both fighters engaged in a staring contest again.

"It seems you have been holding back…" Natsu commented, his tone serious.

"You figured?" Draxnor asked, smiling. "Well, I think you have been holding back, too. But, for some odd reason, I can't feel your magic energy. Care to explain?"

"Can't feel my magic energy? I guess only Erza and Mira can feel it, then, because nobody else can feel it… not even Gramps," Natsu replied, grabbing his chin with his left hand, feigning deep thought.

"Well, no matter. Let's kick things up a notch," Draxnor said, crouching while crossing his arms in front of his chest. With a resounding roar, Draxnor's magical energy began to skyrocket. He was surrounded by a fiery red aura and blue electricity as the ground cracked beneath him and powerful gusts of wind hit Natsu's face.

Initially shocked at the massive increase in power when Draxnor was done, Natsu's expression became serious.

"Alright then… my turn. I wanted to try this against Erza, but she got arrested before I could even bring it up," Natsu stated with slight disappointment present in his voice, spreading his arms wide before fisting his hands and bending his elbows towards his sides. "Oh, well… You'll be the first to witness one of my new techniques, Draxnor."

"I am honored…" Draxnor commented offhandedly, bowing slightly with a smile on his face. Natsu smirked.

"**Blazing Drive!"**

Natsu let his own magical energy spike up. The power-up garnered the same environmental effects as Draxnor's, with the ground cracking beneath his feet and gusts of wind going in all directions. However, a vortex of flames surrounded Natsu, dancing around his body as they soared into the sky.

When they cleared, Natsu stood there, tongues of fire sticking out of his arms, shoulders and back, giving the appearance of flaming dragon wings. He crouched slightly, taking his battle stance, a cocky smirk on his face.

"Let's get this party started…"

"Yeah… let's," muttered Draxnor. Natsu took a deep breath.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Roar!"**

A torrent of flames, much brighter, larger and stronger than any he has ever thrown before, shot towards Draxnor at unimaginable speeds. Draxnor's eyes widened considerably.

'_What the…!'_ he thought, shocked.

"**Force Shield!"**

Lifting his hand just in the nick of time, Draxnor cast his protective transparent-red dome of energy. However, Natsu's attack struck with unprecedented force, completely obliterating his protective shield, engulfing him in flames. Draxnor roared in pain as he was sent flying into a multitude of trees, snapping them in half as if they were mere twigs as he crashed into them. When the crashing stopped, though, a large transparent red orb sailed through the rubble straight towards Natsu. He jumped away as the orb crashed into the ground and watched intently, waiting for the orb to explode, but it never did. It only expanded, splitting the ground before it disappeared, leaving behind a large crater.

"What the heck was that all about?" wondered Natsu, absentmindedly. "I expected an explosion."

"So that **Blazing Drive** is a magical amplification technique, right?" Draxnor asked as he stepped out of the rubble, seemingly unscathed and still surrounded by the blazing red aura and blue electricity. Natsu, slightly surprised, took a little time before registering what he had asked.

"Yeah… My flames are stronger, I'm faster, and I'm stronger, too," Natsu replied, smirking cockily. "Here, let me show you…"

Natsu lunged at Draxnor, his fist raised, bathing in more powerful flames.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Iron Fist!"**

"**Black Armament!"**

Draxnor crossed his solid black arms in front of his chest as Natsu struck, sending him back slightly. Natsu did not relent, jumping forward once again and unleashing a flurry of flame-enhanced punches that Draxnor had some difficulty blocking. He then jumped back before lunging forward and landing a powerful blow to Natsu's gut.

He bent over slightly, gasping in pain before he was flung backward, but he managed to stop himself before crashing with his **Fire Dragon's Blazing Claw **before rocketing back towards Draxnor.

"Let's fight fire with fire," Draxnor muttered, before summoning bright flames around his arms that soon gained a nigh black color.

"**Black Flame Armament!"**

Just as Natsu was about to land a flame-enhanced kick, Draxnor lifted his left arm and blocked it with seemingly little effort, and then punched him away. Natsu landed on his back as Draxnor lunged and aimed to smash him deeper into the ground. Natsu spun on his back before springing upwards just in time, for Draxnor had slammed his fist into the ground, cracking it. Before Natsu could even muster a counterattack, Draxnor was already upon him, swinging his black flaming fists, forcing him to be on the defensive.

Natsu cursed mentally. He quickly searched for an opening, but it seemed that Draxnor wasn't leaving any, until he saw a sliver of one.

'_There!' _thought Natsu, lashing out at the opening.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Iron Fist!"**

Natsu managed to push past Draxnor's two arms as they prepared for a joint attack and landed a massive blow to his gut. Draxnor grunted in pain as he was sent back, skidding through the ground until he stopped. However, he managed to remain standing.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Claw!"**

Natsu lunged towards Draxnor, with his flame-enhanced feet acting as boosters. He then flipped and threw a series of powerful kicks. Draxnor blocked some of them but was hit by a few. Not wanting to take more hits, Draxnor jumped back, with Natsu closely following him.

"Let's fly!" shouted Draxnor as he jumped high into the air. Natsu, slightly surprised at the sudden move, jumped as well. Using his flame-enhanced feet, he rocketed towards Draxnor, quickly catching up.

Draxnor, noticing Natsu's growing figure, attempted to punch him with his right fist, but Natsu redirected it with his left arm. Natsu threw a punch at Draxnor's side, but he met Draxnor's left hand. Both were locked in a stalemate, attempting to overpower the other. Their energies began to flare up even more before Natsu pushed away Draxnor's right fist.

Both fighters unleashed a flurry of flame-enhanced punches, black intertwining with red-orange, unleashing shockwaves that shook the air and ground alike. Neither gained the upper hand in the brawl, as both of them blocked and landed an equal number of blows.

After both of their fists connected in a rather destructive punch, Natsu and Draxnor were flung back by the ensuing shockwave. Slowing to a stop by the usage of their energy and flame-enhanced feet, they glared at each other before bathing their whole bodies in flames.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Sword Horn!"**

"**Black Flame Demon Rush!"**

Both warriors shot towards each other at incredible speeds, leaving a trail of red-orange and black behind them. Unleashing a fierce war cry, they both crashed into each other head on. Instantly, the flames melded, forming an immensely powerful swirling fireball with them right in the middle of it. They both struggled greatly, before shooting down to the floor, causing a massive explosion of black and red-orange that obliterated much of the surroundings.

Natsu was sent reeling backwards before crashing into the ground at the base of a burnt tree. Draxnor flew the opposite direction, but he managed to land on his feet and skid backwards before hitting a miraculously untouched tree, his **Black Flame Armament** dissipating.

Natsu slowly got up, staring at Draxnor as he walked towards him, _smiling_. Even after all of those hits, Draxnor was still moving as if he hadn't been hit at all, even with all the blood flowing from his temple and the burns on his upper body.

"Are you done, Natsu Dragneel?" he asked mockingly. Before Natsu could answer, he continued, "Shame… I thought Fairy Tail's Salamander packed more of a punch than this."

"Trust me… I'm barely getting started," Natsu replied, smirking.

"Well, then… SHOW ME!" roared Draxnor, slamming his palms together before pulling them apart, a black and red orb appearing right in between them, making Natsu feel slightly sick to his stomach. He then brought his hands behind him.

"**Darkness Destruction Wave!"**

Draxnor threw his hands forward and launched a large black and red beam at Natsu. Jumping out of the way, he turned around to see the beam shoot towards a tree before somehow being redirected towards the sky. Surprised, he turned to Draxnor, who was smiling wickedly.

"How the heck did you do that?" asked Natsu.

"It's a property of **Darkness Magic**," Draxnor replied. "Since it has a physical form, I can manipulate it to my whim, even if it's a large beam like that. Of course, it requires _very _advanced control of the magic, meaning only the most skillful users can bend the beam like that."

"I see…" muttered Natsu. "Well, I can do that with my flames!"

"What?"

Natsu created a large amount of flames on his right fist and launched them at Draxnor. Draxnor crossed his arms in front of his chest and cast his **Black Armament**, bracing himself for impact.

However, Natsu had another thing in mind. The flames suddenly stopped just before striking Draxnor, and they morphed into a giant hand that grabbed him, gripping him tightly.

'_What?!' _thought Draxnor, slightly surprised and wincing in pain as the fiery hand burned him. Natsu smirked.

"See… Told ya," he said cockily. He then lunged towards Draxnor, the fiery fist still gripping him tightly, his left fist bathing in flames.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Iron Fist!"**

Natsu struck Draxnor's face, making him release a strangled cry of pain and blood from his mouth. The force was so great that he almost flew out of the giant fist, but Natsu managed to remain concentrated enough to not allow it.

"I see… Impressive, Natsu Dragneel," said Draxnor as Natsu jumped away after landing the punch. "But can your flames hold against this?"

Natsu made a small noise in surprise as Draxnor began to power up even further, the supposedly solid flames beginning to fan away from him due to the harsh gusts of wind. Blue lightning began to streak out away from his body, striking a few sections of the forest and ground near him, the blazing red aura growing. Natsu lost concentration, weakening his flames enough for Draxnor to push them away with just his magical energy. He landed on his right foot and left knee, looking down. He then looked up, a wicked smile on his face.

"Let's see how you handle this, Salamander," stated Draxnor as he disappeared. Natsu, taken aback, searched around for any signs of him. However, no signs of him were found.

'_Where the hell is he? How did he get so fast?'_ thought Natsu, gritting his teeth.

"Behind you…" Draxnor's voice whispered behind Natsu. Natsu's eyes widened before he rotated, only to receive a boot to the face. Crying in pain, Natsu was thrown back into the base of a tree. Before he could crash, though, Draxnor was already upon him, grabbing him by his coat and throwing him back where he came from. He then lunged towards Natsu and landed a breathtakingly fast barrage of punches and kicks before grabbing his neck, lifting him up and slamming him into the ground, creating a sizable crater.

Natsu cried in pain and spat blood as Draxnor released him before lifting a foot in the air. Knowing what was going to happen, Natsu rolled out of the way just in the nick of time, for Draxnor had kicked the ground with a massive amount of force, further deepening the crater.

Natsu quickly sprung to all fours before lunging at Draxnor, both of his fists blazing. Unleashing an incredible volley of punches, Natsu tried to hit Draxnor, but his punches either kept missing or kept being blocked. Draxnor then caught both of his flaming fists with his bare hands before head butting him. Natsu grunted in pain and tried to jump away, but Draxnor wasn't done yet. He slammed a fist into his gut, making Natsu bend over, crying in pain before flying back into the tree, this time crashing mightily into it, debris and dust burying him.

'_Damn, he's strong! What the hell is he?! He's not even using his __**Black Armament**__ and it hurts just as bad as when he _was_ using it!' _thought Natsu in surprise as he shakily stood up, glaring at Draxnor's smiling face. _'If this keeps going, my __**Blazing Drive **__will not be enough! I will have to resort to _that _technique, and it's not completely ready yet!'_

"This is getting troublesome…" muttered Natsu, his pink hair shadowing his eyes. "Alright… I will have to push my **Blazing Drive **to the limit!"

…

Erza woke up with a start and took her surroundings in, her breathing heavy and ragged. Rays of sunlight were permeating through the entrance of the tent. It was… morning. Then… that meant…

"Crap…" she cursed, standing up. "I must've fallen asleep."

She looked around again, and noticed that Gray, Lucy and Happy were fast asleep on the floor, but Natsu and Draxnor were nowhere to be found.

"They haven't come back…" she added worriedly. "Damn it, Natsu. Where are you?"

Then she felt it… two very powerful, very familiar magical signatures clashing somewhere on the island. She inhaled sharply when she recognized them.

"Natsu… and Draxnor…" she muttered, then yelled, "They're fighting!"

"Wha-What? What's going on?" asked Lucy groggily as she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Erza… why are you yelling?" uttered Gray, his eyes half-open.

"I can feel Natsu's magical energy… as well as Draxnor's… They're out there on the island, and they're fighting each other!" Erza said loudly.

"They're WHAT?!" shouted Lucy, finally waking Happy up.

"Flame brain's fighting that Draxnor dude?" Gray asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Erza replied loudly, gritting her teeth. "Can't you feel it?!"

"Erza, you know very well that only you and Mira can feel that idiot's magical energy. Not even Gramps can feel it. I feel Draxnor's, and it's terrifying," replied Gray, standing up quickly along with Lucy, who had Happy perched on her shoulder. They both nodded fervently.

"I knew there was something fishy about that guy," Happy piped up, before spreading his tiny angelic wings and hovering just above Lucy's shoulder.

"How are you feeling Gray?" asked Erza, looking intently at him.

"I'm fine. We should be worried about that pink lizard. If that Draxnor guy beat _you_, he's surely going to make short work of him," Gray stated. "Why are they fighting anyway?"

"That doesn't matter! Let's go!" Erza ordered, rushing out of the tent, ignoring the inquisitive looks from some of the villagers, including Chief Moka.

Together they ran into the forest, with Erza in the lead. However, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. She was thinking about the magical signatures. Both of them were extremely powerful. In fact, Draxnor was releasing a larger amount of energy than what he released the final moments of their battle. But what totally shocked her was that Natsu was releasing just as much magical energy as Draxnor. They were both roughly equal in power, when _she_ had fallen short in her fight against Draxnor.

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that Natsu Dragneel, whom she beat countless times before, was now releasing more magical energy than her. _When _did he amass that much power? _When_ did she fall behind? Did he hold back all the times he challenged her and was beat?

"Look up there!" Lucy shouted in apparent shock, snapping her completely out of her train of thought. Erza did so, and inhaled sharply shortly after. A massive pillar of smoke billowed into the sky, large shockwaves scattering it every now and then, with blurs flying around at nigh impossible speeds, easily rivaling her **Flight Armor**.

"Those are… Natsu and Draxnor!" Erza shouted. "We don't have much time! Let's go!"

They sped through the forest, with Erza wanting to requip into her **Flight Armor**, but quickly deciding against it because she didn't want to leave the others behind. Those blurs were unmistakable. To the untrained eye, they were just that… blurs. But to trained eyes like hers, the blurs were clear as day. It was them… and they were going at it with unprecedented fierceness.

She gasped loudly and her eyes grew wide when a massive explosion appeared in the sky, the gale force winds produced nearly blowing her away. Her eyes widened even further when two small figures fell out from the blast, each leaving small trails of smoke behind as they fell.

"No way…" she breathed, shaking her head before rushing forward at an even higher speed. "NATSU!"

…

Natsu stared Draxnor down after they both landed, panting due to their last pseudo-aerial bout. It was almost obvious that the both of them were reaching their limit. However, they refused to yield a single inch of their gained ground and stood as steadily as they could. Both of them were beaten up and bloody, Natsu having taken some harsh hits from Draxnor's **Black Armament**, and Draxnor receiving a nigh equal dose of Natsu's **Fire Dragon's Blazing Iron Fist**. Both knew that this round was going to decide the match, and neither wanted to lose.

An immense cloud of smoke billowed right above them, remnants of a massive explosion that ensued a few moments ago. The small forest area, their second battle arena, was in complete ruins, like the first. Flames of overwhelming intensity and heat danced around them, with a few areas left miraculously undamaged.

The staring contest dragged on for a few more seconds as both fighters attempted to devise their winning strategy.

"Well, Natsu Dragneel. I never expected_ you_ to push me _this_ far. Not even _Erza Scarlet_ was able to do it…" Draxnor spoke up, heaving while wiping blood off his bruised lip.

'_Erza? He fought Erza?' _thought Natsu, shocked.

"You… fought Erza?" he asked, slightly hesitantly.

"I did… and I _beat_ her…" Draxnor declared, smiling widely… almost maniacally.

'_HE WHAT?!'_ Natsu roared in his head.

"You… beat… Erza…" he growled softly, his ruffled pink hair shadowing his eyes. It took a few moments for the statement to sink in. Once it did, though, Natsu felt the gravity of the statement full-force. While it did shock him beyond belief that Erza was beaten by someone else other than him, there was one thing that struck Natsu like a speeding train… Erza was hurt… and he wasn't there to protect her. "You… hurt Erza… YOU HURT ERZA! RAAAAAAGH! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!"

Natsu roared into the sky, a vortex of flames surrounding him. However, these flames were vastly different from the ones he showed when he initially entered his **Blazing Drive**. They were driven by something else… something _far_ more menacing.

'_Could it be… the __**Flames of Emotion**__?'_ thought Draxnor, visibly shocked. But his shock only increased when Natsu lunged at him… faster than ever before.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Smash!"**

Natsu's right hand was coated with flames as he swiped at Draxnor, a large wall of flames crashing into him and sending him back. He grunted in pain as he flew through the air and he attempted to launch a counterattack, but Natsu beat him to it.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Iron Fist!"**

Natsu's flame-coated right fist smashed into Draxnor's face and sent him crashing into the ground, where he skidded before stopping near a tree, the picked up dust covering him. However, he didn't stop there. Natsu extended his right hand as he landed, with his index and middle fingers pointing upwards.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Pillar!"**

An enormous pillar of flames shot from the ground right under Draxnor straight into the sky, engulfing him completely. Through the sizzling inferno, Draxnor's pained cry could be heard as he was sent higher and higher into the air before the spell dissipated, dropping him. Natsu jumped into the air, already preparing yet another attack.

"_With a blaze on the right hand… and a blaze on the left hand… When you combine the blazes together…" _Natsu chanted, a fiery orb appearing on his right hand, and then on his left. He then fused them together into a massive fireball that he lifted above his head.

"**Fire Dragon's Brilliant Blaze!"**

Natsu launched the massive fireball straight at Draxnor, the force throwing him back to the ground. He watched intently as the fireball almost hit Draxnor, waiting for the massive explosion to ensue… but it never came.

"**Force Drill!"**

A large, drill-shaped spike of red transparent magic pierced right through his attack, completely dissipating it. Natsu's eyes widened slightly as he saw Draxnor in the middle of it, spinning rapidly. The red spike dissipated after Draxnor stopped spinning, and he had his right hand held back. A fiery black orb appeared, swelling slowly.

Something of that magic irked Natsu. It felt different from the **Force Magic** and **Black Armament** Draxnor usually used. This felt… sickening… even more so than the **Darkness Destruction Wave **he used earlier.

"**Hellfire Orb!"**

Draxnor launched the black orb straight down at Natsu. It whizzed towards him at astounding speeds, but Natsu's reflexes were a tinge faster. He jumped out of the way, using his **Fire Dragon's Blazing Claw** as a booster as the orb hit the ground. A black explosion ensued, not as large as the combined **1000 Flames of Hell **and **Fire Dragon's Roar **they threw at each other in the temple, but still large in its own right. But that wasn't what worried Natsu. What worried him was the fact that right after the explosion dissipated, the flames around him slowly began to die out as the trees lost all semblance of life and they turned a sickly gray before crumbling down to the ground. The lush greenery on the ground also became that gray and collapsed. His eyes widened as he took in the scene before him. Everything was dead or dying, leaving no trace of a living thing in the area affected by the explosion.

He had seen this kind of magic before… but where? Where had he seen this magic? Why couldn't he remember? He always remembered the kind of magic his most powerful opponents used, and this one seemed to be only manageable by extremely powerful wizards like Draxnor. So why couldn't he remember?

"What kind of magic was that?" he asked softly.

"This, Natsu…" he began, conjuring up another sickening black orb of fire, "…is my primary magic… my main form of attack… **Hellfire Magic**."

"**Hellfire Magic**?" asked Natsu, slightly taken aback.

"Yes... **Hellfire Magic**. It's similar to **Fire Magic** in terms of overall properties, like appearance, effects… among others. But **Fire Magic **can be used for many other things. **Hellfire Magic **can only be used for mass destruction. No matter how hard you try to do something else with it… **Hellfire Magic** will always destroy. They're the ever-consuming flames of Hell itself… consuming everything in its path…"

"Is **Hellfire Magic** superior to **Fire Dragon Slayer Magic**?" interrupted Natsu, looking at Draxnor straight in the eyes.

"Naturally… yes," replied Draxnor, smiling.

"I'll show you otherwise," Natsu smirked cockily, taking a large breath afterwards.

"Bring it…" Draxnor challenged, placing his open palms in front of him.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Roar!"**

"**Hellfire Stream!"**

A torrent of red-orange flames met a torrent of black flames in between the fighters after they launched their attacks. Almost instantly, Draxnor's flames began to gain ground on Natsu's, proving his statement. The force was so great that Natsu was being pushed back, albeit slowly.

'_Damn… He was right… His flames are _really_ strong!'_ thought Natsu. '_But I can still do this! I'll show him that my flames are stronger!'_

Natsu applied more force to his already powered up **Dragon's Roar**, the sheer amount of it beginning to produce results as his flames began to slowly overpower Draxnor's.

'_So, still got fight left in you… Could it be…?'_ thought Draxnor as he scrunched his face in concentration, making sure to keep Natsu's flames from completely overpowering his. Slight surprise flowed through his mind and senses, witnessing normal fire overpowering his Hellfire. Then, he remembered… this wasn't a normal fire mage he was fighting… he was fighting a **Fire Dragon Slayer**… a mage possessing magic that can rival that of a dragon's…

Determined to break the beam lock, Draxnor lifted his hands. However, he did it too late, for the flames had compiled once again into a black and red-orange fireball larger than the one they created inside the temple.

'_Shit! If this keeps going, were going to blow up half the island!' _thought Draxnor. He stopped shooting flames, prompting the fireball to speed straight at him.

'_What the hell is he doing? Is he giving up?' _thought Natsu. _'That thing will kill him!'_

"**Force Shield!"**

Draxnor cast a transparent red sphere of magic that surrounded the massive fireball, effectively cutting off Natsu's attack.

The moment the fireball was completely surrounded by the shield, it exploded with unprecedented force, expanding Draxnor's protective shield to its limit, almost breaking through. Unleashing a loud war cry, he fiercely concentrated on keeping the explosion at bay. However, it was proving to be a monumental effort, for the strain of the act was becoming apparent in Draxnor's facial expression and body as his muscles convulsed greatly.

When the explosion finally dissipated, Draxnor fell to one knee, breathing heavily, his eyes losing focus for a sliver of a moment. The transparent red sphere dissipated into nothingness, allowing the heat and the smoke produced by the explosion to waft into the air.

'_Damn! I used up too much of my magical energy! I can't let it be drained, or _it_ will be exposed!'_ thought Draxnor angrily.

Natsu stared at Draxnor, his eyes wide in surprise. Why did he do that? The **Force Shield** he used to keep the explosion at bay used a massive amount of magical energy, leaving him drained. While he did know that the explosion was powerful enough to destroy a good portion of the island, it was obvious that he could have just deflected it up into the sky. What was he playing at?

"Why did you do that?" asked Natsu. "You practically gave up the fight."

"I know… but why worry _our_ teammates?" asked Draxnor, giving Natsu a small, wily smile. "You and I both know that explosion could've seriously wounded us, if not killed us. So why worry them?"

'_What the hell does he mean by "our" teammates?!' _thought Natsu, surprised. _'He's an enemy! He can't be…!'_

"**Black Force Armament: Oblivion Fist!"**

Natsu's train of thought was abruptly interrupted by the unstable spike of magical energy and the image of Draxnor flying towards him, his right arm solid black with that boiling red transparent aura. He was about to evade it… but this time, he just wasn't fast enough.

Natsu's eyes widened as far as they could go and a soundless cry of pain ensued when Draxnor grabbed his shoulder and plunged his **Oblivion Fist **right into his stomach. Instantly, Natsu felt the immeasurable heat Draxnor's fist produced. It was slightly _hotter_ than his flames. He couldn't believe it. Now he felt the true power of that attack. It was completely devastating… it truly deserved the name it bore… the **Oblivion Fist**…

"This attack, Natsu Dragneel, is what I used to defeat Erza Scarlet," Draxnor whispered as Natsu's **Blazing Drive **dissipated. "And with this attack, I have now defeated you."

Natsu fell to his knees, nearly losing consciousness as Draxnor released his shoulder and began to walk away. He felt some of his broken bones screaming in pain inside him, mainly his ribs. So this was how Erza felt right after he beat her. He truly felt like he was dying. He mentally cursed himself for not being there for Erza.

So this was it… he was going to die before confessing his feelings to Erza and Mirajane? No… he wouldn't have that… Not right now. He still had so many things to do as well. He still had to find Igneel! He still had to beat Gildarts and show him how powerful he had become! He would not let a silly punch beat him! He was Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail's Salamander, for God's sake! He would not rest until he made Draxnor pay _dearly_ for hurting Erza!

'_Natsu,'_ Erza and Mirajane's voice rang in his head. There they stood in the darkness of his mindscape, extending their hands towards him, a sweet smile gracing both of their beautiful faces. _'Don't give up… Never give up!'_

Natsu's eyes instantly cleared, the darkness of unconsciousness dissipating completely. He shakily began to stand up, his eyes shadowed by his pink hair.

"So… this attack… was what… you used to beat Erza," Natsu said softly, coughing. Draxnor turned to look at him, thoroughly shocked. Natsu then looked at him, a new fire burning in his eyes. "Well, it isn't enough to beat me!"

Summoning energy from out of nowhere, Natsu lunged at Draxnor, roaring in fury as flames began to sprout once again from his arms, shoulders and back.

"**Blazing Drive: Fire Dragon's Blazing Iron Fist!"**

A flame-coated fist smashed into Draxnor's shocked visage, sending him flying backwards. Natsu was still flying towards him, even though his last attack stumped some of his momentum.

"**Dragon Slayer's Secret Art!"**

Natsu ignited both of his fists with large orbs of fire as he prepared one of his strongest attacks. Draxnor, on the other hand, was in the middle of preparing a counterattack. He just needed a little more time to fully prepare another **Oblivion Fist**…

"**Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Blazing Fist!"**

Too late… Natsu had already unleashed a fierce barrage of flame-enhanced punches, striking almost every inch of Draxnor's upper body, exploding upon contact. A strangled cry of pain escaped Draxnor's mouth, along with blood, as he was sent rocketing towards the forest after Natsu's last explosive punch, the strongest of the barrage.

"I'm not letting you go yet!" roared Natsu as he disappeared and reappeared right behind Draxnor, his hands still on fire.

"**Crimson Lotus: Exploding Blaze Blade!"**

Natsu swiped his arms circularly, creating an enormous torrent of blazing hot flames that struck Draxnor with more force than any other attack Natsu had thrown at him before. Through the agonizing seconds of the attack, the flames wouldn't stop crashing into him, burning almost every part of his body. He sailed high into the air, spinning as the flames expanded rapidly in a massive explosion before they dissipated. Now it was Draxnor's turn to nearly lose consciousness as he still ascended to the sky.

'_I'm impressed, Natsu Dragneel. Not only did you defeat me in this state, but you did it when _Erza Scarlet_ couldn't… even when I released more power against you. It seems I was right in my deduction… you _are_ subconsciously using _that_ energy… that's why nobody can feel it, except _them_… It seems everything is going as planned…'_ thought Draxnor with a smile as he descended into the forest canopy and suffered a mighty crash that left a large crater in its midst. Sighing deeply, he whispered to himself, "Now… all I have to do is find a way to unleash it… Natsu's _true_ form… his _true_ power…"

…

Natsu fell to one knee, breathing heavily. Draxnor was down, and it seemed that this one was definitive. He hoped it was… this battle really drove into his limits. He shakily stood up as his **Blazing Drive **dissipated.

He stared in the direction Draxnor flew. Even after a few minutes, there was still no sign of him, and it only meant one thing… _Natsu had won_.

He had defeated Draxnor Hellion, when Erza couldn't. He had finally surpassed her and Mira when she was at her peak a few years ago. He was now stronger than Fairy Tail's strongest women… than two of Fairy Tail's strongest mages…

'_Erza… I won… for you. Now, after many years of training, I have gathered enough power to protect you… and Mira. I promise to never let anyone hurt either of you ever again…' _Natsu thought, smiling through his heavy breaths.

"Well… I think that settles it. But now… I have to go back to the village… Now that the temple is mostly destroyed, there will be no need to come back, so… mission accomplished," he muttered. He was about to make his way through the forest, when…

"NATSU!"

Natsu stopped dead in his tracks and turned around when the familiar voice of a certain red-haired beauty rang throughout the forest.

"Erza?" said Natsu softly, not expecting _her_ to come here. Sure enough, Erza showed up, breathing heavily, with Lucy, Gray and Happy right behind her, also breathing heavily.

Upon seeing his battered state, Erza's eyes widened considerably as Lucy covered her mouth with her right hand, Happy became teary, and Gray stared with discreet concern.

"NATSU!" she shouted as she sprung forward and grabbed Natsu's shoulders as he was about to fall. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Erza…" he replied weakly, smiling softly. "But… what are you doing here?"

"I came here to pick you up and take you back to the guild, but I decided to finish the quest with you guys," she replied as she hugged Natsu, slowly lowering him to the ground. "Where's Draxnor?"

"Draxnor? I beat him, just now…" he answered, thoroughly shocking Erza. Did she hear that correctly? Natsu… beat Draxnor? She had to make sure she heard him properly.

"You… beat Draxnor?" she asked slowly, making sure to get every single word through.

"Yeah… that's what I just said… I beat Draxnor," Natsu replied, still managing to smile after almost collapsing. Saying that Erza was shocked was a severe understatement. She was astounded, amazed… speechless. She couldn't believe that Natsu actually beat someone _she_ couldn't beat… but then again, this _was_ Natsu, and he tends to totally surpass her expectations. She couldn't help but smile softly and tighten her embrace slightly.

"You idiot… Why did you fight him?" she asked. "Look at yourself… you're all beat up. Do you want a repeat of Lullaby or something?"

"Of course not, Erza. I don't want to worry you, Mira or the guild like that anymore," he replied, smiling. Erza felt a small pang of jealousy at hearing Mira's name. "He hurt you Erza. That is all I needed to beat him up."

"That's because I _challenged_ him to a fight, Natsu. He's a member of Fairy Tail as well…" she said, slightly surprised that Natsu didn't know that.

"HE'S IN FAIRY TAIL?!" roared Natsu, thoroughly shocked.

"Didn't you see the guild mark on his right forearm?" she asked, still slightly incredulous.

"Well… no. He kept using that **Black Armament **thingy, so his arms were all black most of the time. Besides, I was fighting him and he's super strong… I didn't have time to focus on his right forearm," Natsu replied, scratching his cheek while looking away. He then stood up painstakingly slowly, gripping his abdomen, which was developing a rather nasty bruise. "Well, I guess I'll go get things clear between us. I saw him at the temple threatening some short dude that smelled like a woman, so I thought he was an enemy as well… Oh well…"

'_Typical Natsu,'_ thought Erza, shaking her head while smiling. _'Rushing into fights without thinking is just a part of you.'_

"There will be no need for that, Natsu…" said a very rough-sounding voice. Everyone turned to see Draxnor walking gingerly towards them, just as bloodied and beaten as Natsu, perhaps slightly worse, clutching a rather nasty-looking burn on his chest. Their eyes widened in surprise at the sight.

"Draxnor!" Erza nearly shouted, and was about to rush to him when he held up a hand, stopping her in her tracks.

"There's no need to worry about me. You need to focus on Natsu," Draxnor stated, leaning on one of the miraculously untouched trees in the middle of the once burning, then crumbling battlefield. "Remember my advanced healing factor. These wounds should be gone in about three to four hours, maybe a little more."

"Oh, yeah. I had forgotten about that," said Erza softly. "But what about Natsu? He doesn't have your healing factor…"

"And that's why I brought _this_…" interrupted Draxnor, pulling out a small conical flask out of thin air with a glossy black liquid inside it.

"A **Spiritual Mastermind Potion**…" said Erza softly. "Of course… that should work! After all, it heals all of your wounds and brings you back to full power! How could I have forgotten about that?"

"That thing heals you completely _and _restores your magical power?" Lucy asked, astounded. She had never heard of such a thing being possible with just one small vial of liquid.

"Yes…" Draxnor replied. "It's one of my specialties…"

"That's awesome…" breathed Lucy.

"Here," Draxnor called out to Erza, tossing the little flask at her. She caught it without looking. "Have Natsu drink it and somehow make him rest for at least three to four hours."

"Right," said Erza seriously. She then continued… rather playfully, "Open wide, Natsu!"

"Wh-What?" stuttered Natsu as he eyed the liquid. Lucy, Happy and Gray stared with slight surprise at Erza's sudden change in attitude.

"Just drink the potion, Natsu," said Erza, losing all of her playfulness. Natsu blanched slightly.

"Aye, sir!" he shouted, before hastily grabbing the potion and gobbling it up. Right after, he finished, he was coughing all over the place.

"Damn… T-That thing… is… nasty!" he managed to choke out through his coughs. "What the hell do you put in this thing, man? It tastes horrible! It tastes worse than that dude Bora's flames!"

"It's composed of many rare magical substances and herbs. To a certain extent, it's not meant to taste good," Draxnor replied. He then muttered, "However… it _does_ have a rather… _special_ aftertaste."

"What you say, Draxnor?" asked Erza, looking over at him.

"Nothing at all," he replied offhandedly as he pushed himself off the tree and began walking in the direction of the village. "We should get back to the village… Natsu needs to rest."

"Right," Erza replied as she stood up with Natsu's left arm draped over her neck and her right hand gripping his waist tightly. Happy landed on his head shortly afterwards. They followed Draxnor with Lucy and Gray tailing them.

"Wow… I'm already feeling my magic energy returning and my bones are starting to repair themselves! It hurts, though," Natsu commented happily, before pouting slightly.

"It'll be like that for a few minutes. Afterwards, you'll be like new," Draxnor replied, not turning around.

"Man, it might taste horrible… but that potion of yours is awesome!" complimented Natsu, smirking at him. Erza smiled softly at him before chuckling.

"Thanks…" said Draxnor, giving him a small smile.

"So, Draxnor, what were you doing in the temple?" piped up Erza.

"Hmm? Oh, apart from searching for Natsu, I was gathering some information on the ritual and its approximate completion time," answered Draxnor.

"Well?" she prompted.

"I managed to gather from this old green-haired man that the ritual is expected to be completed tonight," he continued, surprising everyone.

"TONIGHT?!" shouted Lucy and Gray.

"Yes… well, that's what he told me."

"Damn… what are we going to do?" asked Lucy, looking slightly fearful while Gray clenched his teeth in slight anger.

"Wait… didn't we destroy most of the temple in our fight and practically prevented the ritual from being completed?" asked Natsu, earning sighs of relief from Lucy and Happy.

"We did… but I have a suspicion that the building _will_ be repaired by tonight, or is being repaired as we speak…" Draxnor answered, nodding.

"WHAT?! But how?" asked Erza, clearly shocked. "That's impossible!"

"Not for someone using **Lost Magic**," countered Draxnor.

"**Lost Magic**?" asked Natsu.

"Yes… like your **Dragon Slayer Magic**."

"Well, what are we waiting for? If the temple _is_ being repaired right now, we have to prevent that!" said Gray heatedly.

"That will not be possible…" Draxnor replied calmly. "Natsu needs to rest…"

"Well, if you didn't fight flame-brain in the first place, he wouldn't need to rest!" Gray retorted angrily.

"That's enough, Gray!" Erza interrupted, glaring at him. "Draxnor's right. We all have to rest and prepare. Do you want to rush into this recklessly? There could be traps, you know…"

"Tch," was all Gray said before looking away. Draxnor had a small, wicked smile on his face… but it went unnoticed.

"Are we seriously going to wait until night? It's barely noon," Happy remarked. At Erza's nod, he deflated, "Man, this is going to be boring."

"It's okay, buddy," Natsu reassured. "Tonight, we'll get to kick some serious ass!"

"Aye, sir!" squeaked Happy, instantly perking up and saluting him.

"So it's settled, then?" asked Erza to everyone, looking at the group individually. At the nods, she continued, "Very well… We rest until night… and then… we attack the temple…"

…

"It's time…" Erza announced to the group as they finished their makeshift dinner in the tent. "We should make our way to the temple now since the moon is already rising."

"Right!" the group replied, standing up and preparing themselves.

"So, what do we do?" asked Natsu, walking towards Erza with a warm smile on his face. His wounds were completely gone now, thanks to Draxnor's **Spiritual Mastermind Potion**. Not even a single bandage or scar was visible on his well-toned body, and his clothes were completely repaired. His magical energy was also back to its maximum, but it came at a small price… the "Energy High" Draxnor mentioned to Erza crashed in like a raging bull. Natsu just couldn't sit still, jumping all over the place even though some of his wounds were still not done healing. While it did provide for some amusing entertainment based on the fact that Erza was chasing after him, screaming for him to lie down and rest, after about five minutes, everyone except Draxnor and Happy was chasing after him, and that proved to be slightly annoying.

"Um… well…" Erza stuttered, looking away and blushing slightly. Natsu, slightly confused, placed his hands on her face and gently coaxed her to look at him. She squeaked softly and blushed brighter when he leaned in and touched her forehead with his. The one thing she was thankful for was the fact that everyone had finished their preparations and left the tent before this, so no one was there to witness her blush.

"Natsu… w-what are you doing?" she asked shakily, squirming slightly. Natsu moved away from her, his face scrunched in thoughtfulness.

"Hmmm… no, you're not sick… Erza, what's wrong? Why are you so red?" he asked confusedly.

"N-Nothing… You shouldn't worry about it," she replied, turning away from him, attempting to recover her usual stoic expression. She failed slightly, for she still felt the blush burning in her face.

"Um, okay, I guess," Natsu shrugged as he tightened his scarf slightly before walking out of the tent, closely followed by a still red Erza. Everyone was looking intently at them, as if waiting for something to happen.

"So… what's the plan?" asked Natsu to no one in particular.

"Damn it, flame-brain, you would know the plan if you weren't sleeping the moment we discussed it!" said Gray loudly.

Natsu was about to say something, but Draxnor beat him to it, "We're sticking together. Those wizards you fought may not be the only ones there in the temple, and like Erza said earlier, there could be some traps. After we're inside the temple, we split up into teams. The first will take care of any wizards and traps that may be stationed in the temple, while the second will focus on stopping the ritual."

"Okay, sounds like a good plan. Who's on which team?" Natsu inquired further.

"You, Gray and I are on the first team, while Lucy, Erza and Happy are on the second," Draxnor replied, pointing towards each group member respectively. Looking at him, Natsu noticed that Draxnor's wounds were mostly healed and that he had somehow changed clothes. He was now wearing a deep red long-sleeve shirt left open at the top, a new set of black slacks, and black shoes with deep red designs detailing the front of the shoes.

"Why am I with the stripper?! I don't want to be with him!" Natsu nearly shouted.

"Shut up, lizard boy. As much as I hate working with you, it was Erza's orders," Gray muttered.

"Aw, come on, Erza! Can't I trade places with Lucy or something?" Natsu whined.

"WHY ME?!" Lucy screamed.

"That's enough, Natsu! I gave the assignments, now deal with them!" Erza growled, glaring at him. "Do I make myself clear?!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he squeaked, cowering under her glare.

"Good," replied Erza, closing her eyes and nodding. "Now that that's over with, we should make our way to the temple. Hopefully we can prevent the ritual from starting…"

"I think it's a little late for that," announced Draxnor, pointing up at the sky.

"What?" inquired Erza, looking up. Her eyes widened slightly. A bright, purple beam of light cascaded from the sky, seemingly from the moon, down towards the direction where the temple was located.

"Damn! We're too late! We have to hurry!" she ordered.

"Right!" the group answered in unison.

As they hurried through the forest towards the temple, with the bright purple beam still going strong, they mentally prepared themselves for any possible scenarios they might face. The worst of these was that Deliora would be released from its icy confines and begin to wreak havoc on the island after 10 years of imprisonment. Everyone sincerely hoped it wouldn't go that far, for Draxnor had warned them that Deliora was a far more powerful demon than Lullaby. That little bit of information did not sit well with the team because they had a rather sour encounter against Lullaby, with Natsu almost losing his life in the process. Even though the demon was successfully eliminated, the price was almost too high. Therefore, stopping the ritual was a crucial priority, for a repeat incident would be devastating.

"Damn! At this rate, we'll be too late!" growled Erza, breaking the momentary silence, signaling for everyone to stop. "Draxnor! Fly over to the top of the temple and take Natsu and Gray with you!"

"Wait… fly?!" shouted Natsu before he clutched his stomach, covered his mouth and fell to his knees. "I… don't… think… I can… do… that…"

"Natsu…" Erza spoke softly, giving Natsu a menacing glare that chilled him. "You will fly. Think of him as a friend, not a mode of transportation…"

"Aye, sir!" Natsu squeaked in a very Happy sort of way, with a salute and everything.

Draxnor nodded as he raised his right hand. Everyone turned towards him. Suddenly, a vortex of flames surrounded Draxnor, surprising Natsu and Gray slightly.

"**Six Winged King: Wings of the Fallen Angel!"**

A sudden, large spike of magical energy emanated from the swirling inferno. As the flames vanished, Draxnor's signature pitch-black devil wings with two blood-red spikes facing downwards and one spike facing away became visible to the group, extending away from him in a majestic manner… as well as his bare torso. Gray stared at the wings with slight awe. Natsu, however, noticed another thing.

"So you also have the same freaky stripping habits as this ice pervert over here?" asked Natsu, pointing at Gray, a blank expression on his face. Gray glared at him.

"What you say, pink lizard?" he growled, punching his right fist into his left palm.

"I don't have any freaky stripping habits. I only do so because my shirt would be torn apart by my wings," Draxnor explained, chuckling slightly at Natsu's insult. "Now, let's get back to business. We have a ritual to stop. Are you both ready?"

"I'm good. I don't know about Mr. I-Hate-All-Transportation over here," Gray replied.

"Oh, I'm good," said Natsu, smirking confidently. He then bumped his fists together. "Let's do this… I'm all fired up!"

"Alright then…" Draxnor muttered as he crouched, extending his wings upward. He then lunged into the sky at immense speeds, picking up a good amount of dust.

"HE'S LEAVING US BEHIND?!" shouted Natsu, face faulting.

"No, he isn't, Natsu… Look," said Erza as she pointed at the nigh invisible form of Draxnor as he performed an aerial loop before descending towards them.

"Grab my arms!" shouted Draxnor as he extended both his arms below him.

Nodding, Gray and Natsu latched onto Draxnor's left and right arm respectively as he swooped in at a rather low height, causing a slightly harsh wind and picking up dust.

Erza looked at the trio for a little while, a rarely seen worried expression on her face.

'_Natsu, be safe… please,'_ she thought. Almost immediately afterward, she returned to her usual stoic expression.

"Alright… Lucy, Happy, let's go," she ordered, as she began to run towards the temple.

"Right," said Happy and Lucy in unison as they followed suit, with Happy flying right above Lucy's head.

For some odd reason, the rest of the trip to the temple did not feel as safe as when Natsu, Draxnor and Gray were there. Even though Erza was a monster fighter and she could certainly protect Lucy and Happy if need be, it just didn't feel right. Erza wanted to blame it on Natsu's reckless nature and his tendency of doing incredibly stupid things that would have grave consequences for the rest of the team… but she couldn't do so. Even if he _was_ a reckless piece of work, his incredibly stupid doings sometimes ended up _helping _the team instead of _hurting_ them. So… blaming him was out of the question.

The next thing was Draxnor's _very_ unsettling statement. If it was true that Deliora was far stronger than Lullaby, and if the people at the temple manage to release it, the mission would go from a rather _simple_ lift the curse to a frantic life-or-death battle. She sincerely hoped it would not escalate to such levels, because at that point Deliora would not be the _only _thing she would have to worry about. She would now have to worry about Natsu's uninhibited recklessness and selflessness… not to mention the rest of the team. She was the S-Class Wizard here… she bore the responsibility of making sure everyone went back home in one piece from this quest. If anything were to go wrong, it would be entirely _her_ fault and she honestly had no idea how she would _deal_ with such a burden.

"Erza… are you alright?" asked Lucy, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, Erza. Is something wrong?" Happy piped up.

"What?" she asked back, slightly taken aback at the abrupt interruption. However, she still continued running, not knowing how close she was to the temple due to being completely lost in her thoughts.

"Are you alright?" repeated Lucy. "You seem… worried."

"Oh… I'm quite alright, Lucy. There's nothing for you to worry about," replied Erza, feigning a small smile.

"Oh… okay!" Lucy replied, smiling widely. "We're almost there, by the way."

"Perfect…" muttered Erza. "At this time, Natsu and the others must've taken out most of the other wizards in the temple, if not all of them and delay the ritual."

"Right," Lucy agreed.

They continued running towards the temple until it became visible through the tree canopy. What they saw, however, was not to their liking.

"What?! The ritual is still going on? What's happening? With their strength, clearing the temple should be no problem!" Erza stated, looking at the bright purple beam of light that _still_ rained from the sky.

"Stop right there!" said an unfamiliar, male voice.

"What?" said Lucy as the group stopped dead in their tracks. In almost a flash, the girls and cat were surrounded by a very large group of what seemed to be wizards dressed in identical purple cloaks and a light purple hood that covered all of their faces with a dark purple symbol that resembled a backwards "C" with a dot in the center. They also wielded what seemed to be crescent-shaped swords.

"Where'd all these people come from?" asked Happy.

"I'd like to know that myself," replied Erza, requipping a simple one-handed sword.

"We will not let you interfere with the Cold Emperor's plans!" shouted another voice, this time an elderly female voice. Suddenly, Happy squealed in happiness and pointed up.

"Look, Erza! The **Moon Drip **has stopped!" he announced, shocking everyone and prompting them to look up. He was right… the bright purple beam of light had indeed disappeared from the night sky.

"Well… it seems we will not have to involve ourselves in a meaningless scuffle now that the ceremony is interrupted," Erza stated, smiling slightly. "Mission accomplished…"

"Damn… they had people on the inside?"

"It can't be… they managed to stop the ritual!"

"Now what'll we do?"

"We never knew they brought more people into the fray!"

"We can't have our revenge against Deliora now!"

"Revenge?" asked Lucy, confused. One of the apparent cultists turned to look at her and removed the hood, revealing an elderly woman wearing a pretty headset.

"That headset…" Erza muttered. "You're from Brago, aren't you?"

"Brago?" repeated Lucy, even more confused.

"You are correct, young lady," the elder woman replied.

"That means you were a victim of Deliora… Are all of you victims?" asked Erza. All of the hooded people turned and nodded.

"That's terrible…" Lucy whispered, shocked. "I can't believe…"

A piercing roar, louder than anything Erza had ever heard before rang throughout the night, interrupting the conversation. The ground shook before the might of the roar, and Lucy and Happy screamed and covered their ears.

"KYAAAAA! What's going on?!" screamed Lucy as she fell to her knees.

"AAAACK! I wasn't ready for that!" shouted Happy.

Everyone scattered around during the roar, except one person… Erza. She looked at the temple, wide-eyed, a fearful expression dominating her beautiful features.

They were too late… They were unable to stop the ritual in time… Her worst fears were confirmed.

She lost her breath as she _felt_ the darkness looming over them. The demon feared by everyone in this temple was finally released from its icy confines. Only one thing ran through her mind… three simple words that spelled impending doom for the people on the island.

Deliora had awakened…

…

* * *

><p><em><strong>Whew! Done!<strong>_

_**And Natsu has emerged victorious! I hope y'all enjoyed the fight! Next chapter will the frantic battle between Team Natsu and Deliora! And what does Draxnor know about Natsu? Why is it that nobody can feel Natsu's magical energy, with the exception of Erza and Mira? Find out next time!**_

_**For now... review, review, review!**_

_**Until next time! Ciao!**_


	5. Divine Awakening

_**Hello, everyone!**_

_**First and foremost, I want to apologize for the insane wait for this chapter. I had a rather hard time with this one, and I got a bout of writer's block. Once again, I apologize!**_

_**Also, I have a poll on my profile. I am in a dilemma about who I should pair Lucy with. I left a few options, but there is also a "Other" option. Just message me the character.**_

_**Anyways, onto the story!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, its rights or any of its characters, spells, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima. I only own my OCs, my spells, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " "= **Dialogue**

**Requip " "= Spells, Magical Item Names and Non-Human Speech  
><strong>

_What? ' ' = _**Thoughts**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Divine Awakening<strong>

"Damn it! We're too late!" Natsu growled as he took in the frightening image of the massive navy blue demon in front of him. It was easily over 65 meters tall, with a muscular humanoid torso and large arms that ended in scaly hands, long legs that end in what seemed to be bird feet with spikes at the back of them, a mane of dark hair, plated horns pointing upwards and hollow eyes.

"Finally! Deliora is free!" said the green-haired man whose name was Zalty, rubbing a bruise on his cheek, courtesy of Natsu.

"All we have left is to fight it!" Natsu claimed. He lunged at the demon, his right fist bathing in flames.

"Natsu, are you crazy?! That thing will kill you!" shouted Gray, who was staring at Deliora with fear-stricken eyes. Gray was injured greatly and half of his torso was frozen due to a stab wound.

"**Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"**

Deliora lifted a massive hand and swiped at Natsu, smacking him away as if he were a fly. Natsu flew back towards Gray, but managed to land gracefully thanks to his **Fire Dragon's Claw**.

"Did you seriously have to do that, you pink-haired idiot?!" shouted Gray, glaring at Natsu, who gritted his teeth.

"Damn, that thing is strong!" Natsu commented, seemingly ignoring Gray.

"No shit, pinky!" said Gray. Natsu took a deep breath.

"**Fire Dragon's Roar!"**

Natsu shot a torrent of red-orange flames at the demon, which simply lifted its scaly arm and took the full force of the hit, emerging totally unscathed. Gray could only look in shock as the demon that brought so much suffering to him took on one of Natsu's strongest attacks and brushed it off. However, he recovered quickly.

"Stop pissing it off, Natsu!" Gray shouted, grabbing his shoulder.

Deliora suddenly opened its mouth and unleashed another earsplitting roar that shook the entire cavern they were in. Natsu and Gray covered their ears and closed their eyes, attempting to shut out the noise, but they had little success. They did not notice the demon lifting its right fist, about to lunge and strike at them.

"Watch out Gray!" shouted the voice of Gray's fallen rival and former partner in apprenticeship, Lyon Vastia.

"Wha…" was all Gray could say before he saw a massive fist heading towards them. His eyes widened considerably. "SHIT!"

"**Ice Make: Shield!"**

Gray slammed his right fist on his left palm and brought it to the floor… all in _very_ quick succession. A large, flower-shaped ice shield appeared from the floor in front of them. Preparing for the worst, they did not see the shaking ceiling of the cavern.

Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed, raining hundreds of massive boulders on the recently revived demon. Accompanying the boulders was a barrage of rainbow-colored flames that struck the demon's back. Gasping slightly, Natsu and Gray jumped back to avoid the falling debris. Zalty was nowhere to be seen…

Deliora seemingly roared in pain as it took on the many hits, but in reality, it was roaring its challenge at its new attacker.

"**Black Force Armament: Oblivion Fist!"**

Out of the massive cloud of dust that emerged due to the ceiling's collapse, Draxnor emerged with his devil wings spread widely, emitting a loud war cry, his body surrounded by his signature blazing red aura and blue lightning, and his right fist surrounded by his signature **Black Armament** and boiling red sphere of energy. Deliora looked up at the new source of sound just in time to be struck in the head by the extremely hot fist. Its face actually bent with the blow and this time it did seem to roar in pain, or so thought Natsu and Gray. Draxnor, however, had another thing in mind.

'_That only pissed him off,'_ thought Draxnor.

"Natsu! Gray! Grab everyone inside the temple, find Erza, Lucy and Happy, get to the village and evacuate everyone!" ordered Draxnor, looking down at them as he landed. "After you're done doing that, get back here so we can bring it down!"

"What about you?!" shouted Natsu back.

"I'll buy you some time!" he replied as the demon recovered and planted its empty eyes on Draxnor.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!" shouted Gray. "That thing is too strong for you alone!"

"GO, NATSU! WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME!" Draxnor yelled, ignoring Gray. "Don't worry about me! I'm a demon hunter! I know what I'm doing!"

Natsu gritted his teeth. He did not want to leave one of his teammates alone to deal with Deliora. Even if he _was_ new in Fairy Tail, he was already part of the family. But he was right. Now the nature of the mission had changed entirely. Now, instead of just worrying about lifting the curse _only_, they had to make sure there were as few casualties as possible. However…

"I'm not leaving you!" Natsu shouted, steeling his expression. "I'm staying here to fight!"

Draxnor looked over at him, having landed another **Oblivion Fist **on Deliora. It actually staggered slightly, but it was infinitesimally small. Seeing the pure, raw determination on Natsu's face, Draxnor had no choice…

"Fine… Stay with me…" Draxnor said.

"Natsu, are you crazy?!" Gray yelled, angry at being ignored so much. His eyes widened when Deliora made to punch Draxnor and jumped back along with Natsu. He relaxed slightly when Draxnor nimbly evaded the punch, though.

"Gray, I'll deal with you later… Now, please do as I say and help evacuate…" Natsu growled, cracking his knuckles.

"Now, why the hell should I do as _you_ say?" Gray retorted, gritting his teeth.

"Because we are trying to prevent mass death and destruction, that's why!" Natsu shot back, giving Gray a bone-chilling glare. "Now, GO!"

Gray was stunned into silence, gritting his teeth in anger. If he hadn't used so much magical energy against Lyon, he would've stayed and fought. But… Natsu was right. They _were_ trying to prevent the demon from causing any more innocent deaths…

"Tch… fine," Gray relented. He then walked over to the fallen Lyon and picked him up slowly. "But don't come crying for help when Erza gets to you. You know how she is… _especially _after the Lullaby incident."

"Don't worry. I got Draxnor here with me… We'll be fine!" Natsu replied, giving him a toothy smile.

'_Damn his cheerfulness. Even though we're in _this_ situation, he's _still _the idiot we all know,'_ Gray thought, smiling slightly despite himself.

"Gray, use the hole we collapsed in to get out of here. It should still be there… right?" said Natsu, gesturing towards the entrance of the now chaos-filled chamber.

"Yeah… it should be," replied Gray, making sure Lyon was securely positioned on his shoulders.

Natsu smiled again and turned to begin aiding Draxnor, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Natsu turned to look at Gray questioningly.

"Natsu… don't get yourself killed…" muttered Gray, giving him a stern look.

"Is that worry that I'm hearing in your voice, Gray?" Natsu mocked.

"I'm not worried about you, _stupid pyro_!" Gray retorted.

"Anytime, Natsu!" interrupted Draxnor from above them, prompting them to look up. Draxnor was evading Deliora's furious assault with slight difficulty. Somehow, the demon suddenly became fast, swiping at Draxnor at speeds not easily imaginable for a creature its size.

"Oh, damn it all to Hell!" shouted Draxnor as he slammed his palms together and then pulled them apart, conjuring a familiar black and red orb. He then brought it back, charging his attack.

"**Darkness Destruction Wave!" **

Draxnor launched his hands forward, releasing a massive black and red beam, larger than the one he threw at Natsu. When it struck Deliora, something amazing happened…

Deliora was actually thrown back, albeit a short distance and it fell on its back, crashing mightily against the cavern wall, lifting massive amounts of dust. The ensuing explosion of black and red surrounded it entirely as well.

"Whoa… that one surely packed a punch… I wouldn't want to be hit by _that_ one…" commented Natsu dryly. "Gray… I can still smell you!"

"Tch… whatever," Gray retorted as he began to run into the cavern, away from the fight.

"Gray, wait!" called out Draxnor, stopping Gray in his tracks. Turning around, Gray saw a small vial flying towards him. Out of pure instinct, he raised his hand and caught it.

"A **Spiritual Mastermind Potion**…" Gray muttered.

"Take it. You'll need it," Draxnor said, giving him a small smirk. Gray nodded in gratitude and ran out. Draxnor then turned towards the dust cloud, his face serious.

"Alright, Natsu… Pull out the stops," Draxnor said, breathing slightly heavily. "Don't hold back, because this thing will not…"

"You got it!" Natsu exclaimed, taking a battle stance.

"**Blazing Drive!"**

Natsu roared into the air as his magical energy began to skyrocket, a vortex of flames surrounding him. Draxnor followed suit, powering up even further. His blazing red aura grew in size and the blue lightning that traversed his body began to streak out, striking sections of the cave.

"Alright!" Natsu voiced. "I'm all fired up now!"

Draxnor smirked.

Both fighters lunged at Deliora at breathtaking speeds as the demon was barely getting on its feet. They both summoned bright flames on their fists.

"**Black Flame Armament!"**

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Iron Fist!"**

Blazing red-orange and nigh black met navy blue. Natsu and Draxnor both delivered intensely powerful blows to Deliora's face, making it stagger once again. They, however, did not relent, unleashing a flurry of punches that didn't seem to stop until the demon's right hand suddenly shot up and enclosed around Draxnor. The grip tightened, earning a roar of pain from the trapped mage before Deliora threw him away. He suffered a mighty crash, releasing another strangled cry.

Natsu, angered slightly, did not relent, punching Deliora with more and more force. The demon's other hand shot up and attempted to grab Natsu, but he managed to veer away from it using his **Fire Dragon's Blazing Claw**. He then proceeded to pummel Deliora with a barrage of flame-enhanced punches and kicks, until Deliora managed to brush him off with its massive hand.

Having landed a lot more gracefully than Draxnor, Natsu glared at the demon as it slowly lumbered towards them, growling deeply. To his shock and anger, it seemed that all of their attacks did nothing but anger the Demon of Destruction. He didn't like that one bit…

'_Damn it… Draxnor was right. Deliora is far stronger than Lullaby,'_ Natsu thought with slight concern. '_All of these strikes would've surely put a dent on Lullaby… but this guy doesn't even have a scratch! DAMN!'_

A roar of fury sounded beside him, interrupting Natsu's train of thought.

"**Black Force Armament: Oblivion Barrage!"**

'_**Oblivion Barrage**__? What the hell?!'_ thought Natsu. His eyes widened when Draxnor emerged from the dust, flying towards Deliora, both of his arms surrounded by the boiling **Black Force Armament**. He delivered slow but powerful punches to Deliora, its face bending with the blows. However, it still wasn't receiving any wounds.

"**Six Winged King!"**

Draxnor's magical energy spiked once again as the six streamer-like wings sprouted off his upper back and pointed at the demon's face as Draxnor placed his fists over each other. His **Black Force Armament** receded from both of his arms.

"**Six Winged Blaster!"**

A powerful shockwave struck Deliora with unprecedented force, sending the demon reeling backwards and actually drawing blood from its lip.

'_He drew blood?!' _Natsu thought, astonished. _'He really _is _a demon hunter…'_

"Now, Natsu!" shouted Draxnor, snapping Natsu out of his train of thought. "Attack!"

"Right!" Natsu replied, throwing his arms out. "_With a blaze on the right hand… and a blaze on the left hand… When you combine the blazes together…" _He summoned bright flames on his right hand, and then his left, combining them into a massive fireball that he held above his head.

"**Fire Dragon's Brilliant Blaze!" **

Natsu launched the massive fireball at Deliora, the sheer force sending him back. He skidded across the ground, tearing it up slightly as he attempted to stay on his feet. He looked intently as the fireball sped towards the dust cloud where Deliora was buried.

A massive explosion ensued, shaking the entire cave and unleashing gale force winds on the duo. They promptly covered their faces as they surveyed the damage. Sounds of moving rock and slow breathing could be heard from the smoke and dust, along with an increasingly louder growl.

"Get ready, Natsu… All those attacks only got it angrier…" Draxnor warned ominously. "While we may have managed to wound it, it's not _nearly_ enough to bring it down…"

"Tch… Damn…" Natsu muttered exasperatedly. "What _can_ we do? None of our attacks seem to work!"

"We're going to have to hit it together with a single, all-out attack," Draxnor stated, looking at Natsu seriously.

"A single attack… Do you think that will work?" asked Natsu.

He never got his response, though, for Deliora emerged from the dust, a large lime-colored orb forming in its mouth.

"SHIT! The magic beams!" Draxnor exclaimed, his eyes widening. He threw his hands forward, his palms open.

"The wha…?"

"**Force Shield!"**

Draxnor's signature transparent red magical dome appeared and encircled the duo as Deliora launched a massive lime-green colored beam at them. It struck them with so much force that the cave shook as if there were an earthquake and it almost completely overwhelmed Draxnor. Suddenly, a tower of flames erupted from around them, putting even more pressure on Draxnor's protective dome. Heat was beginning to seep through as the shield began to flicker slightly.

"Hit it, Natsu!" Draxnor shouted, his voice strained, the shield flickering into nonexistence as the ardent flames disappeared. Natsu nodded as Draxnor fell to one knee, extending his right hand with his index and middle fingers pointed upwards.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Pillar!"**

A pillar of red-orange flames shot from beneath Deliora's feet, engulfing it. Deliora roared into the night, shaking the cave once again, this time causing some of the semi-destroyed ceiling to collapse further. Draxnor cast his **Force Shield **once again over them to prevent any of the falling debris from hitting them.

"Now! Let's hit it with all we got!" Draxnor ordered, raising his right hand above his head, a rainbow-colored orb appearing above his open palm. Natsu only nodded and took a deep breath.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Roar!"**

"**1000 Flames of Hell!"**

Natsu unleashed a massive torrent of red-orange flames from his mouth while Draxnor unleashed a stream of rainbow-colored flames. Both attacks sailed at incredible speeds at the demon, which stood eerily still.

'_It's not moving… Why?' _thought Natsu.

The flames struck Deliora with massive force, sending the demon reeling backwards to the wall. It crashed mightily, but it did not fall.

"Damn. Not enough! Do not relent, Natsu! Again!" Draxnor said as he prepared another rainbow-colored orb on his left hand behind his back.

"Alright, let's do this!" shouted Natsu, an orb of red-orange flames appearing in his right hand. They were packing even more power into their attacks when something unexpected happened…

Both warriors felt their magical energy merge. They felt their heartbeats, their breathing and their thoughts in sync… it felt different… unexplainable. Winds harsher than ever before emanated from the duo as the ground shook and cowered over the newly found might. More debris of the already collapsing cave fell on top the duo, but the raw energy that they released disintegrated it before it even came close. A blazing red aura coupled with red-orange flames and blue lightning surrounded the duo. When they were about to call their attacks, the words appeared in their minds simultaneously…

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Flames of Hell!" **

A torrent of rainbow-colored flames, far larger than their previous attack, shot towards the navy blue demon. Soon after, small wisps of red-orange fire began to erupt from the rainbow-colored flames, surrounding them, and spinning at incredible speeds. Their eyes widened when they witnessed the sheer scale of the attack. Right after that, they smirked as the demon raised its two arms to block the attack.

'_So this is a __**Unison Raid**__…' _thought Natsu, smirking.

The attack slammed into Deliora with unprecedented force, lifting it off its feet and sending it up into the wall, where it crashed mightily. Roars of pain could be heard above the sizzling inferno. The cave shook in the presence of the sheer power the attack was releasing. For a seemingly endless amount of seconds the torrent of flames hit the demon, until the duo noticed cracks appearing in the wall.

Unleashing war cries, Natsu and Draxnor applied even more force into the nigh unsurpassable attack, breaking through the wall and sending Deliora flying into the air. As the attack died off, both wizards fell on one knee and breathed a little heavily.

"Well… that was something," Natsu commented dryly. Draxnor smirked.

"It was. But it wasn't enough to kill him," Draxnor deadpanned.

"How do you know that?" asked Natsu curiously.

"Listen…" Draxnor muttered, tapping his ear. Just after he finished saying that, a roar rang through the night. It was Deliora… and it sounded angrier… if that was even possible…

"Shit…" Natsu cursed, standing up, his **Blazing Drive **still going strong. "Well… let's go hunt ourselves a Zerefian demon…"

…

"We were too late…" Erza muttered as another roar rang through the night, shaking the temple and island alike. The cultists just stood frozen in place, eyes wide in fear as the roar brought severely painful reminders of the losses they experienced at the hands of Deliora.

"E-E-Erza… w-w-what do w-w-we do?" Lucy asked shakily… fearfully. Happy landed on her back, his eyes wide with fear.

"I…" Erza began before a thought struck her mind… Natsu, Gray and Draxnor were inside the temple. Her eyes widened in horror…

Fearing the worst, Erza rushed into the temple, ignoring Lucy's frantic cries.

"Lucy! Get these people to safety! NOW!" ordered Erza as she requipped two short swords. Crashes and explosions could be heard in the distance, evidence of a battle raging somewhere not too far away.

'_They're fighting it already?' _thought Erza. _'Damn…! Please Natsu… Don't be reckless… I beg you…'_

"Erza!" rang a voice that snapped her out of her thoughts. It seemingly came from inside the temple. She looked towards the entrance and her eyes widened when she saw Gray running to her, with his abdomen frozen and… carrying a body on his shoulders…

"GRAY!" she shouted, running towards him. "Are you alright?!"

"Don't worry about me! Worry about that idiot!" Gray replied hastily. "He stayed behind with Draxnor and they're currently fighting off Deliora!"

"Why didn't you drag him over here?!" Erza shouted.

"Because he said not to…" Gray answered, quieting down slightly.

"May I ask WHY you listened to him?!" she asked, her voice steadily increasing in volume.

"Because-"

"You never listen to him, Gray! Why-"

"Because we're trying to prevent a tragedy like the one that took my parents!" Gray shouted over Erza, silencing her. Her eyes widened. She bit her lip, her expression wavering from one of worry to one of anger.

"Besides, Draxnor is with him! I don't know if he's told you, but he's a demon hunter! The guy knows what he's doing! Don't you think that Natsu is safer around him?" Gray asked, faltering slightly due to the weight of Lyon pressing over his tired body.

'_Let's not forget the fact that I used up a lot of magical energy against Lyon, so I would just get in their way,' _he thought.

"Yes, he's told me that…" Erza replied, attempting to sound stoic, but failing. "Very well, let's go and evacuate everybody…"

Erza turned around and ran back towards Lucy, with Gray following closely. She bit her lip again, slightly angry at herself over her emotional outburst.

'_Damn it, Erza, get a grip! This is not how you usually are!' _she thought angrily. _'Natsu will be fine! He can take care of himself! Last time I checked, he's stronger than me! He beat Draxnor when _I _couldn't! He's become a very powerful wizard!'_

Smiling slightly despite herself, Erza stopped in front of Lucy, who was clinging to Happy rather tightly.

"E-Erza… What do we do?" she asked shakily.

"We will evacuate everyone on the island while Natsu and Draxnor are holding off Deliora. As much as I dislike this plan, it is the best course of action if we want to keep the casualties at a minimum. We will then return and assist them in defeating the demon after we're done," Erza explained, suppressing her worry successfully. She noticed Lucy and Happy steeling their expressions into ones of determination.

"Right!" they both replied in unison.

"Let's go!" Erza ordered to everyone, and they began to run towards the forest.

'_Why am I getting such a foreboding feeling?'_ she thought. _'Why do I feel like something horrible is going to happen to Natsu… something worse than when he fought Lullaby? Why?'_

Suddenly, the ground began to shake… violently. Losing her balance, Erza leaned upon a nearby tree, grabbing Gray's shoulder and pulling him close to the tree so he wouldn't drop his friend… or enemy.

"What's going on? Why is the ground shaking?" she asked to no one in particular.

"It's probably those two…" muttered Gray.

Then she felt it… Natsu and Draxnor's magical energy rising to incredible levels, nearing the unfathomable, clearly being the main cause behind the earth's terror. Her eyes went as far as they could, though, when she felt those magical surges fusing into one, indescribably powerful signature, causing the ground to cower even more in the presence of nigh godlike might. Her breath was stolen from her needy lungs as she felt the incredible pressure crashing over her entire body like a mighty tidal wave.

'_It can't be… their magical energies are fusing! A __**Unison Raid**__?'_ thought Erza, flabbergasted, attempting to draw just a sufficient amount of air into her lungs to prevent asphyxiation. _'Amazing… So much power…'_

The ground shook once again with the might of another seemingly massive shockwave. Suddenly, an enormous pillar of rainbow-colored flames surrounded by red-orange wisps erupted from the ground beside the temple, along with something else… Deliora.

The navy blue demon was sailing towards the sky, propelled by the flames. It roared, but it was far from sounding like a pained roar as it pierced the night quiet night.

"HOLY SHIT!" shouted Gray as he bore witness to something he had never seen before. "Is that what I think it is?!"

Erza could only nod dumbly as she looked at the scene in front of her with awe and disbelief.

"Amazing…" breathed Lucy with her hand on her mouth. Just after she said that, the attack dissipated, letting Deliora fall unhindered towards the ground. After an earth-shaking crash resulting in a large dust cloud, no sign of movement was apparent from the demon.

"Is it down?" asked Happy with a hopeful voice. A roar was the only answer he needed. "No way…"

"Tch, Deliora won't be taken down by this. That attack was too weak. If Ur's **Ice Shell** wasn't able to bring it down, then this surely won't do it," Gray growled, slamming his fist into a nearby tree, almost snapping it.

"If I'm not mistaken, **Ice Shell** only serves to seal whatever the caster wants. It is not meant to kill," said a voice from above them. They all looked up to see Draxnor above them, his wings spread wide while slowly descending with Natsu holding on to his right forearm.

"Natsu!" Erza began as she rushed over to him. She stopped abruptly when she saw the flames that danced around his arms and shoulders that looked like dragon wings. She blushed slightly; the more feral appearance he sported was really something else.

"Erza!" Natsu replied, smiling. When he noticed her pointing at the flames gaze he smirked. "This is my **Blazing Drive**. I beat Draxnor with this."

Erza blushed a little deeper and looked away towards Lucy, who was blushing heavily. Instantly, the blush was gone, replaced by a scowl. _'SHE'S into Natsu? Oh, HELL NO!'_

"Don't let it get to your head Natsu. After this, I want a rematch," Draxnor stated calmly. Natsu chuckled.

"Sure! I'll kick your ass all over again," he declared. Draxnor smiled lightly.

"Oh, by the way, Deliora is standing up. And it's not happy," stated Draxnor nonchalantly, as if what he was saying had no importance at all. His voice then turned deadly serious. "And I recommend Lucy, Happy, Gray's injured friend, and all you cultists to evacuate towards the village if you know what's good for you. This will not be pretty."

"I can help you guys!" piped up Gray's injured friend, Lyon. His followers nodded and mumbled in agreement.

"I think that would be a horrible idea. With greater numbers come greater casualties, and we are trying to prevent that. Besides, you are just not powerful enough to even stand a flicker of a chance against a demon of Deliora's caliber," Draxnor denied, shaking his head slightly.

Before Lyon could protest, Natsu intervened, "Draxnor's right. Deliora is too strong. Even with my **Blazing Drive**, I barely put a dent into that damn thing."

"What does your **Blazing Drive** do?" asked Gray.

"That doesn't matter right now. Deliora is looking for us," Draxnor reported.

"How do you know?" Gray asked. "We can't see him."

"Trust me…" was all Draxnor said. "Lucy, Happy, Lyon, cultists. Go… NOW!"

"Right!" answered Lucy and Happy.

"Wait! What about Sherry and the others?" asked Lyon, showing genuine concern.

"Don't worry about them. I'll make sure they are safe," Draxnor replied. "We're wasting time! Natsu, are you ready?"

Natsu looked at him, slightly confused. Then he smirked, "I'm all fired up! What do we do?"

"We're going to blow up our cover to attract its attention and attack head-on while Erza and Gray flank it from the sides," Draxnor explained. "Erza, Gray, you ready?"

Both nodded. "Good," he replied, throwing his left hand behind him, a rainbow-colored orb appearing, while Natsu took a deep breath. "Let chaos reign!"

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Roar!"**

"**1000 Flames of Hell!"**

The attacks flew towards the trees, burning through them before sailing into the night sky. As predicted, Deliora focused on the Natsu and Draxnor and began lumbering towards them.

"NOW!" shouted Draxnor as he lunged forward, with Natsu right beside him. Synchronized to nigh perfection, both warriors prepared their respective attacks. Flames surrounded Draxnor's body for an instant before dissipating, revealing him without a shirt, black baggy pants with blood-red flame designs on the legs, black ornamented combat boots and black fingerless fighting gloves.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Iron Fist!"**

"**Black Force Armament: Oblivion Fist!"**

They jumped into the air after landing at Deliora's feet and slammed their super-heated fists into its chin, sending it back slightly. They then used its chest as a springboard and jumped away from them, awaiting Erza and Gray's attacks.

"**Ice Make: Lance!"**

"_Dance, my blades!"_

Long curved ice lances launched from Gray's extended arms towards Deliora, attempting to impale the navy blue demon, with some success. Erza was on the opposite side of the demon, wearing a new armor that Draxnor had not seen before. She also had multiple swords surrounding her, spinning at incredible speeds.

"**Circle Sword!"**

Erza pointed towards Deliora with one of her swords, and the spinning blades launched towards it, slashing through skin before separating, impaling even deeper. They then disappeared. The demon roared in agony.

Everyone mentally patted themselves on the back for a successful group attack, but it didn't last long, for they witnessed the wounds they caused began to heal.

Deliora responded by unleashing multiple magic beams from its mouth in quick succession. They nimbly evaded the attacks and prepared for another group attack but Deliora suddenly lunged towards Natsu and attempted to flatten him with its right fist. Natsu gave a backwards somersault before straightening and taking a deep breath.

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Roar!"**

The torrent of flames he launched from his mouth struck Deliora in the chin, picking it up slightly with brute force. It gave Draxnor an opening as he descended on it, his right leg solid black surrounded by a boiling, transparent red layer.

"**Black Force Armament: Oblivion Axe!"**

Draxnor delivered a massively powerful axe kick to the back of Deliora's head, sending it plummeting to the floor. It crashed, lifting a considerable amount of dust. He then created a transparent red wall and used it as a springboard to jump towards Natsu.

"You good?" he asked as he landed beside Natsu. He nodded.

"**Requip!"**

Both of them looked up to see Erza glowing in a yellow light before it dissipated, revealing her in her **Black Wing Armor**. Deliora was beginning to get up.

"**Moon Flash!"**

Erza descended rapidly and slashed Deliora's back in a cross pattern, splattering blood. It roared in pain once again, but did not falter in its ascension. It attempted to strike Natsu when it straightened, but was stopped by Draxnor's **Force Shield**. He strained slightly, before pushing Deliora's fist away by expanding his shield. He then dissipated his shield and placed his slightly closed right hand over his open left palm.

"This interaction calls for an extra blade…" he muttered.

"What?" asked Natsu, looking at him confused. Erza looked at him expectantly.

"_Come forth, __**Eternal Damnation**__!"_

Fire began to spout out of his hands as he pulled his right one away from his left. After a few seconds, the flames stopped spouting and began to morph into a blade… a very demonic looking split blade.

Natsu's eyes widened in surprise. Never in his fight with Draxnor did he witness him using a blade like _that, _or even _mentioning_ one. However, judging from Erza's expression, which he managed to catch out of the corner of his eye, Erza _had_ _seen_ the weapon used. Did that mean that Draxnor had more magic power hidden? Did Draxnor _really_ fight him with more power than Erza? Was he _really_ stronger than Erza and Mirajane?

"Natsu! WATCH OUT!"

His thoughts were rudely interrupted by Erza's frantic voice. He looked up to see Deliora's massive fist headed straight towards him. Out of pure instinct, he jumped out of the way just in the nick of time, for Deliora's fist had smashed into the ground and it dug deeply. He would've been _seriously hurt_ if not _killed_ had that hit landed… Good thing Erza was there.

'_Damn… That was close… far too close. I'll have to thank Erza later for that,' _thought Natsu, frowning.

"Natsu, what the hell do you think you're doing?! Focus!" shouted Erza sternly as she dodged another of Deliora's unholy fast punches. She may have sounded harsh and uncaring, but in her mind, she was beyond worried. Natsu never froze up like that in the middle of a battle like that. She couldn't help but think that it had to do with Draxnor's blade. That foreboding feeling flooded her again. She tried to shake it off, but failed momentarily. Why was she so worried about Natsu right now? He was going to be fine… right?

'_Tch… I can't over think things right now. It might get me killed! Get a grip, Erza!' _she berated herself mentally.

"**Ice Make: Hammer!"**

Gray slammed his hands together and created a cube-shaped hammer right above Deliora's head and dropped it on hit, but it was blocked by the demon's hand. It then made a low, arcing sweep, attempting to hit Gray, but he managed to evade the certainly fatal strike.

Draxnor responded to that by sending two large red magical energy slashes facing opposite diagonal directions. Both struck Deliora's torso with incredible force, drawing large amounts of blood and making it stumble backwards. Erza's eyes widened slightly.

'_So that's the power of those slashes…' _she thought, remembering the moment when he used those attacks in their fight.

Deliora roared into the air, the large gashes caused by Draxnor's attacks beginning to heal. Draxnor jumped away from it and landed next to Natsu, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"No time for explanations, Natsu. We have more important things to worry about now," Draxnor voiced, answering Natsu's unasked question.

Suddenly, Draxnor disappeared, replaced by a massive blue fist. His cry of pain could be heard as he flew back at immense speeds.

"WHAT?!" shouted Natsu, voicing the same astonished question that Erza and Gray mentally had. "But… how?! I didn't even see it coming!"

"Is he alright?!" asked Erza. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gray… seething.

"It's been playing with us… That damn monster…"he growled. "I'll make you pay!"

"No, Gray! Wait!" shouted Erza as he charged the demon.

"**Ice Make: Ice Hammer!" **

A giant spiked hammer made completely of ice appeared above Deliora's head. He brought it down with a lot more force and speed than before, striking true this time. Deliora bent to the blow and was about to strike, but Gray beat it to the punch.

"**Ice Make: Ice Cannon!"**

A bazooka-like weapon appeared right above Gray's right shoulder; gripping it tightly, he aimed at Deliora's torso and fired. Once again, the attack struck home, wounding the demon as it brought down its fist on him. He jumped to the right then jumped forward, his right fist on his left palm.

"**Ice Blade: Seven Slice Dance!"**

Long, very sharp blades appeared out of Gray's elbows as he shot towards Deliora. He then slashed it five times in different directions before making a final, brutal cross slash. The demon could only roar as Gray's very impressive speed made it hard for it to land a decent strike.

"Whoa…" whispered Erza, very surprised. But it didn't last long. "Natsu, we have to assist him… now!"

"Right!" Natsu agreed as he put his left fist on his right palm. Erza jumped forward.

"**Requip!"**

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Scattershot!"**

Natsu threw both of his hands forward, unleashing an immense volley of flaming wisps towards Deliora as Erza requipped into her **Purgatory Armor**, her oversized mace held tightly to her right. She flourished it, readying for her strike, but she did not notice the wisps beginning to gather at the tip, steadily increasing in size until it surrounded the mace. It shone red-orange, surrounded by a black aura, radiating massive amounts of power.

Erza roared in fury as she slammed her mace into Deliora's chest, causing a massive explosion of red-orange and black that sent her flying back. She landed on her feet, tearing the ground up and lifting dust as she skidded backwards to a stop.

'_What the heck?!' _she thought. _'What was _that_? Did Natsu's magic combine with mine?!'_

She saw, with wide eyes, as Deliora fell on its back, smoke billowing from its singed skin. A war cry snapped her out of her momentary trance as Draxnor soared above them, blood flowing from his chest, his body surrounded by a transparent red drill-shaped spike. He slowed to a halt right above Deliora's torso. He then rocketed down, spinning rapidly, his blade pointing down.

"**Force Drill!"**

Just as the attack came close to piercing Deliora, it lunged forward and shot a magic beam at point-blank range, seemingly obliterating him.

"DRAXNOR!" screamed Erza, horrified. Gray and Natsu could look at the horrific scene with the same terror-struck expressions. The demon had seemingly taken its first casualty…

A low whistling could be heard in the air, still audible through the thunder of Deliora's seemingly triumphant roar. The wizards frantically searched for the source of the sound, hoping it would lead to their comrade. But there was no sign of him… it seemed as if he was obliterated completely.

Suddenly, Draxnor's **Eternal Damnation** stabbed the ground, right in front of Erza. It was slightly slanted, and it smoked slightly, seemingly serving as a marker for Draxnor's untimely demise. She shook her head, her knees growing slightly weak.

"No…" she breathed.

"DAMN IT!" roared Natsu, taking a battle stance, the flames in his arms and upper back burning with rarely seen ferocity. "BASTARD! I WILL MAKE YOU PAY!"

A strong, sickening feeling struck Team Natsu's gut. Tears wanted to gather in Erza's left eye, but she held them back. Gray gritted his teeth tightly and clenched his fists even tighter, drawing small blood. Natsu, however, instantly recognized it.

'_Wait, that's…!'_

"**Hellfire Bomber!"**

A massive orb of pitch-black flames, darker than the blackest night, rained from the sky upon Deliora. A massive, pitch-black, dome-shaped explosion surrounded the entirety of its being. Erza, Natsu and Gray barely had enough time to marvel in the sheer scale of the explosion as they had to evade the powerful blast.

"T-That… was…" began Erza.

"THOUGHT YOU GOT ME?!" shouted Draxnor as he descended towards the blast, an immense blazing red aura surrounding him with blue lightning streaking out. He held another massive pitch-black orb of flames in his right hand. "THINK AGAIN!"

"What the hell is that?!" asked Gray, shielding his face from the gale-force winds and debris that was flying towards him.

"_**Hellfire Magic**_…" whispered Natsu, almost inaudibly, but Erza caught it.

"**Hellfire Magic**?" she questioned, her brow raised. Before Natsu could answer, the winds had died down and the blast had dissipated, revealing a smoking, rather injured Deliora.

"**Hellfire Bomber!"**

Draxnor maneuvered in the air as he descended and slammed the second pitch-black orb right in Deliora's face. Once again, the massive pitch-black explosion surrounded it, as Draxnor's comparatively tiny figure shot out of the explosion, spinning rapidly until he almost touched the ground, where he made an abrupt turn and landed on his feet, skidding backwards. He stopped, surprisingly, right beside his fellow wizards.

Everyone got a good look at him. He was quite beat up, but it didn't seem _too_ bad. He still looked better than he did after his battle with Natsu. He was bleeding from his temple, his lip, his chest, the right side of his torso, his fingerless gloves had a few small tears, and his pants were ripped, revealing a rather deep gash on his right leg. His left arm was bruised slightly, as was the left part of his abdomen. All in all, he was pretty injured… but he could've been _worse_.

"Whoa… _that_… was awesome," complimented Natsu, grinning toothily at him.

"Thanks…" muttered Draxnor, smiling slightly. A guttural roar of pain sounded through the night as the explosion cleared. Deliora was on the ground, heavily injured. He lost his smile instantly.

Suddenly, Deliora was surrounded by a bright white light, blinding everyone. As they shielded their eyes, Deliora began to stand up, albeit slowly. When the flash of light died down, they looked to see what happened only for their eyes to widen considerably. The demon that they thought they downed was standing in front of them… completely uninjured.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" shouted Gray. "HOW DID IT HEAL?!"

"Now what do we do?!" asked Erza, shivering slightly in fear. Natsu remained silent, contemplating the situation. Draxnor growled slightly.

"Tch… time for round two…"

As soon as he finished those words, Deliora disappeared. Completely shocked, everyone searched frantically for any signs of it… None were found.

Out of nowhere, the massive blue demon appeared right in front of them and buried Draxnor into the ground with its fist, missing the others by a millimeter.

"Draxnor!" shouted Natsu, his eyes wide. He then angered, lunging at Deliora.

"**Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Blazing Fist!"**

He struck true; every single one of his flame-enhanced punches caused explosions on Deliora's body, but they seemingly did nothing to the now rejuvenated demon. It attempted to swipe him away, but he barely managed to avoid it with his **Fire Dragon's Blazing Claw**.

Erza decided to go on the offensive as she lunged towards the demon, her mace held overhead, and the black aura surrounding it. Like Natsu, she struck home, but the demon seemed unaffected as it began to pummel Draxnor deeper and deeper into the ground, drawing pained cries from the wizard. Fear for her teammate began to invade her, as the barrage of deadly punches seemed to never stop.

"STOP, YOU BASTARD! STOP!" shouted Natsu as he began to launch flaming punch after flaming punch, and Erza slammed her mace over and over, with Gray joining the fray with two very large curved ice swords. But, no matter what they did, the demon still kept on going.

The cries of pain stopped…

Fearing the worst, the trio attempted to do a group attack finally push Deliora off, but they were rudely interrupted when it swung at the three of them with it right arm. They barely managed to escape its giant claws as they used different methods of propulsion.

Deliora then put his left hand in the massive hole it created and seemingly grabbed something. Everyone, to their absolute horror, saw that the blue demon was picking up Draxnor's immobile body. Then, as if he was nothing more than trash, Deliora casted Draxnor into the night.

"DRAXNOR!" screamed Natsu. Rage began to boil within him. It began to set his blood, his skin, and his mind on fire. All semblance of rational thought began to leave him as the flames on his arms and back intensified to never-before-seen levels.

However, when he heard Erza's pained scream and saw her flying backwards, something within him snapped. He promised that he was never going to allow any pain to get to her… _and he had just failed…_

"ERZA!" he screamed. His mind went completely blank with rage as he recklessly rushed towards the demon, not noticing that she managed to land on her feet and that had just jumped back. He launched attack after attack, the overwhelming power and sweltering heat steadily increasing. Deliora swiped at him, sending him back, drawing blood from his mouth.

He landed on his feet and skidded backwards, tearing up the ground. He was about to lunge back but he noticed the blue demon swiping again, but it wasn't swiping at him… It was swiping at an unsuspecting Erza.

Recovering some rational thought, he did the only thing his selfless nature allowed him to do in situations like these… he rushed over to save her. The closer he got to her, the farther she seemed… and the clawed hand just seemed to be a tinge ahead of him. He didn't like that at all…

'_Damn it! I'm not fast enough! I have to get to her NOW!'_

"**Fire Dragon's Blazing Claw!"**

Using his flame-enhanced feet as propulsion, he managed to gain on the hand. He was almost there…

It happened so quickly. The moment he got to her, his cry got to her. She cried in surprise as he pushed her away. She turned to face him and she fell on her rear. The moment she touched the ground, the hand had gotten to him…

His eyes widened as far as they could go. Pain shot through his receptors, nearly overloading his brain as he felt the massive claw dig right into his gut. His blood splattered, and some landed on her face. The last thing he saw before everything went black was her utterly horrified expression…

…

Time seemed to stop for Erza Scarlet…

All rational thought had disappeared in less than a second…

All semblance of life was remorselessly torn away from her being…

The only thing that looped through her mind, over and over, torturing her very soul… was his pained expression… the light leaving his eyes…

Her body was rooted to the place where she fell. The pain she felt from the impact seemingly did not exist. The warm, life-giving liquid that flowed ever so slowly down her petrified facial features felt like boiling magma, burning her face… _his_ blood…

She couldn't move… No matter how hard she tried, her body would just not respond. The roaring sounds from outside seemed so far away, so unimportant… so _unreal_… The only sound she could hear well was her beating heart… her dying, yet living heart…

'_No… he's not dead…'_

_Denial_… she was in denial. Her numb body only helped prove that.

'_He can't be dead… He just can't be!'_

But she _saw_ him _die _right in front of her… She saw the light _leave_ his eyes.

'_He will come back… I KNOW HE WILL!'_

But she knew he would not come back…

'_HE WILL! He's probably somewhere in the forest, laughing his head off with Happy. He will come back and say how it was all a joke!'_

But what if he _was really_ dead?

'_HE'S NOT DEAD!'_

_Fear_… Fear began to flood her mind, her body, her soul… crushing her, sucking the breath out of her body.

A life without Natsu… she never imagined such a thing. No… she _couldn't _imagine such a thing… it was just not possible for her. Ever since she met him, Natsu became a critical part of her life. He became an unshakable pillar of support for her. Indirectly, through his unabashed recklessness and unsurpassable selflessness, he was beginning to break through the iron armor that encased her broken heart. He was becoming her _armor_, her _protector_… her _guardian dragon_…

Losing him seemed so far away… so _foreign_… yet it was happening right before her very eyes. She shut them tightly, gripping her head tightly and shaking it vigorously. It had to be a dream… It just _had_ to be! Natsu was _still _alive! He _had_ to be!

'_He's dead…'_

"NAAATSUUU!"

…

Weightlessness… that's all he felt… as well as wetness.

Was he underwater? What was going on?

His mind was going a mile a minute. No matter how hard he tried to move he just couldn't. The pain that screamed in his abdomen was just too overwhelming.

How did he get here, anyway? How did he get hurt so badly?

Oh, right… It was Deliora. Deliora came and plunged its claw into his stomach and flung him literally across the entire island into the cold, oceanic abyss.

But why did he get in the way of the claw?

Erza… He did it to save her, the girl he liked… that strong, beautiful redhead that he would give anything for… even his life.

_Wait…_ he was here, in the middle of oceanic nowhere, while she was on that island, with _it_ right there.

Oh no…

He left her alone, when he promised not to… He broke that promise _again_. And now, he was going to die for that…

'_No… I'm not giving up! I'm not going to die here!'_

He struggled against the pain and pressure to make at least one small twitch, but he felt so weak…

'_Erza, Erza, Erza, ERZA, ERZA!'_

That's all that rang through his head. _Her_ name… the girl he failed…

"Eeerzzaa**aaAAAA!"**

…

Mirajane stood behind the counter of the guild's bar, waiting patiently for more of her fellow guild mates to pester her for drinks. She was smiling, and to many people that didn't know her, it seemed like a genuine smile. But to the people that knew her best, it was obvious that it was forced.

In truth, Mirajane was worried… worried about Lucy, Gray, Happy, Erza, Draxnor… and Natsu… especially Natsu. While it was true that Erza and Draxnor were surely already on the island and they both were extremely powerful, and Natsu was also a force to be reckoned with, she couldn't help but worry. They were on an S-Class Quest, after all. Even if it was one of the more simple ones, it still carried a high degree of danger. Master Makarov didn't categorize it as an S-Class Quest for no reason.

'_Natsu…'_ thought Mirajane worriedly.

Natsu was known for his blatantly reckless and destructive nature. More often than not, it ended up being more costing than rewarding. He would sometimes end up destroying half a block while fighting a dark wizard or a large amount of a forest while hunting down a monster or a lead to his long gone adoptive father, the Fire Dragon Igneel.

However, that was not the only con of his nature. Sometimes, he would end up almost losing his life after pulling out a reckless stunt, usually for the sakes of friends. The most recent example of that was when they fought Lullaby, Zeref's demon flute. She was told that Natsu fought off Lullaby by himself when Erza and Gray were momentarily incapacitated, protecting Erza whenever the demon tried to attack her. She remembered feeling a pang of jealousy at the fact that he almost gave up his life for her longtime rival. She still felt it…

She also remembered how she almost lost it when she heard that Natsu almost died in that mission. She almost wanted to blame Erza for forcing him there in the first place, but she couldn't do that. After all, those are the risks all mages face when going on dangerous quests, especially those involving entire dark guilds and demonic flutes created by the most horrifying dark mage of them all.

No… she couldn't blame Erza… all she could do was wait and pray that Natsu came out of those injuries with no major damage to any of his external or internal organs. She felt so helpless… so useless… She hated feeling that.

"Mira, dear… is everything alright?" asked Master Makarov, breaking her out of her train of thought.

"Oh, hey, Master!" Mira replied, trying her best to portray a cheery mood, but failing slightly. "Nothing's wrong! I am just a little bored waiting for the guild hall to be lively as it usually is."

Master Makarov's piercing gaze made her smile falter slightly.

"Are you sure, Mira dear?" he insisted, sitting on one of the stools. "I know a forced smile when I see one, especially with my own children. Something's bothering you, right? Please, tell me."

Sighing deeply, Mirajane gave way to the truth, "Alright, Master… I'll tell you."

"I'm all ears, my dear…" was all he said, gesturing with his tiny, elderly hand for her to continue.

"I'm worried about Lucy, Happy, Gray, Erza, Draxnor, and especially Natsu, Master," Mirajane said after a small period of hesitation. "I know that they are all very powerful wizards in their own right, but this is an S-Class Quest we're talking about. Anything can happen on those quests. I know from experience…" She trailed off at the end, biting her lip slightly and looking down with a sad frown on her beautiful face and she placed her hands on the counter. Master Makarov smiled wisely at her.

"Ah, you shouldn't worry about them, my dear… As reckless as Natsu is, he's smart enough to not go and get himself killed. You know that," he stated, placing his tiny elderly hand on top of hers. "I know that may not appease you entirely, especially with the Lullaby incident so fresh in our memories, but remember that it was only Natsu, Gray and Erza fighting that monster. With Draxnor added to their ranks, while more worrisome in terms of collateral damage, they are far safer and more powerful now since they have a new comrade to fall back upon if need be. And let's not forget Lucy and Happy. While they are not monster fighters like those four, they _can_ carry their own weight in a fight, and they _can_ provide crucial help when needed, as well."

With a small sigh, Mirajane gave Master Makarov a small, yet genuine smile.

"You're right, Master… Thank you," she said, some of her usual cheerfulness already returning, but the worry still plagued her. Trying to push it away for a little while, Mirajane decided to focus on the next hot topic… the murder.

"So, Master. How was the investigation? I heard you came out of it pretty late yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to ask you…" Mirajane began, handing Master Makarov a mug of beer.

"Oh, I don't know where to begin. It was tedious, that's for sure," Master Makarov replied, quickly grabbing the mug and taking a large gulp, instantly becoming serious. "The total drainage of blood without any external wounds signifies **Life Draining Magic**, but the disappearance of the internal organs remains a total mystery as of now. I have never seen, or even heard of, magic capable of cleaning out a victim's insides of their organs without the assistance of an open wound."

"Really? Do you have any idea what could've done that?" asked Mirajane, mindlessly cleaning a rather clean mug with a white cloth, her face twitching slightly in disgust.

"We have nothing, my dear. Draxnor and I were right to say that it wasn't a Life Drainer. The magic that killed the young girl is too advanced and complicated to be **Life Draining Magic**. We got that fact straight with the authorities. Now comes the hard part… figuring out _exactly_ what caused this. We have no witnesses that could give us at least a small pointer; the murderer left no evidence, and the magic has never been seen before. We're basing off this entire investigation with the assumption that it was a demon that caused this. So, with all of that taken into account, we have ourselves an unsolvable murder, for now…" Master Makarov explained, rubbing his forehead.

"That's terrible…" Mirajane said.

"Yes… it is. Until we either find some evidence or get a witness' statement, we won't get anywhere _near_ the end of this," Master Makarov agreed. "What a predicament…"

"Aw, don't worry, Master! I'm sure something will pop up sooner or later! Well, let's hope it's sooner," Mirajane attempted to lighten up the situation, and it seemed to be working, for Master Makarov gave her a small smile.

"Hey, Mira! Get us a few beers!" called out Elfman, who was sitting with Wakaba and Macao. "I'm going to show these wimps how a REAL MAN drinks!"

"Coming right up!" chirped Mirajane, quickly pouring a few mugs of beer and placing them on a platter. Balancing it on her right hand, she made her way to the table, until…

Mirajane felt something hit her… something unexpected and invisible. She felt an enormous pressure squeezing her from all directions, sucking the breath out of her body. She dropped the platter, spilling the drinks all over the floor. She then collapsed on the ground… unconscious.

"MIRA! What's wrong?!" shouted Elfman worriedly as he rushed to her side. Instantly the entire guild had encircled the unconscious Mirajane, with worried expressions on their faces.

"What's going on?"

"What happened?"

"Is she going to be alright?"

"Was she sick before this?"

"I don't know. She seemed okay to me when I saw her this morning…"

"Move aside, brats," ordered Master Makarov patiently. Instantly, everyone parted, giving access to their tiny master. He crouched beside her and lifted her head. "Mira dear… Mirajane… wake up."

Mirajane squirmed slightly, scrunching her face, seemingly in pain. Suddenly, a cry of pain escaped her lips and her hand shot to her head, gripping it tightly.

"What's going on, dear?" Master Makarov asked, looking at her sternly. She opened her eyes, albeit slowly, and gave Master Makarov a painful look.

"Master… it's… too much…" she whispered, her eyes losing focus.

"What is it, dear? What's too much?" he repeated, nudging her slightly, trying to keep her conscious.

"The… magical… pressure… It's… too much…" she softly replied before finally succumbing into unconsciousness again…

"Magical pressure?" he repeated to himself. He then looked at Elfman. "Take her to the infirmary. Now!"

"Right away, Master!" Elfman replied, slowly picking up Mirajane bridal style. "Move wimps! A REAL MAN is coming through!"

"MASTER! You should see this!" shouted a female voice, seemingly from outside. Everyone turned to see Cana pointing at something at the sky, and she seemed frantic.

"What is it? What's going on?" asked Master Makarov impatiently.

"Master… there's this… light shining in the distance!" she explained, gesturing frantically for the tiny master to hurry up.

'_Light? What the hell is going on?!'_ thought Master Makarov fiercely as he rushed over to Cana's side. He looked up to where her finger was pointing, and his eyes widened considerably.

There it was… an enormous pillar of light shining in the distance, illuminating the entire night sky as if it were day. But, it didn't add up. Sunrise wasn't supposed to happen until about eight hours from now… Why would there be such a light shining in the sky?

'_Wait… That light… Could it be…' _he thought sporadically. _'The magical pressure that Mirajane felt a few moments ago and _still_ might be feeling… Natsu?'_

"What do you think it is, Master?" Cana asked frantically. "It certainly isn't the sun. It's too early for that…"

"No… you're right… it isn't the sun…" Master Makarov replied seriously. "It's magical power…"

"WHAT?! Magical power?!" Cana shouted. "But how?"

"I don't know, child…"

'_What's going on, Natsu, everyone? What's causing all of this? Did you run into major problems in the mission?'_ Master Makarov thought, frowning and placing a hand on his chin. _'Whatever is happening, just make sure you come back safe, brats. Fairy Tail would not be the same without you…'_

Inside the infirmary, Elfman had deposited Mirajane into a bed and quickly ran out of the guild for some water. Just as the door was closing, Mirajane opened her eyes.

"What's… going… on?" she asked to herself. "Where am I?"

After a few moments of feeling around, she deduced that she was in the infirmary on the second floor of the guild hall. Instantly, memories of the immense pressure that wracked her body a few minutes ago raced through her tired mind. She braced for the sensation, but found only warmth… _godly_ warmth. However, the sensation was changing. It began to take a much darker feel. Just what was going on? The immense magical energy she was feeling was obviously Natsu's, but what caused him to release _that_ much power?

Mirajane placed her hands on her chest right above her heart and clutched it tightly.

'_Natsu… please be safe. Come back to me. I can't lose you, like I lost Lisanna. My heart would not be able to bear with the pain…'_

…

In the shadows of a dark abyss, in a forest hundreds of miles away from any civilization, sat what seemed to be a person… a young man. Totally shrouded by darkness, none of the features could be seen… only the overall outline.

Taking slow, steady breaths, the man opened his eyes, revealing pitch-black orbs with blood-red pupils that shone in the endless darkness… eyes that have seen countless years of destruction, hatred and war. An eerie, sadistic smile spread over his features, revealing pure-white teeth with very sharp canines.

"Always been the showoff…" the man whispered to himself. He laughed, an evil, maniacal chuckle echoing through the dark night, scaring all life away from him.

"The game has finally begun… little brother… and this time… victory shall be mine…"

…

Gray could only stare in shock, holding Erza's unconscious figure, large amounts of his ice preventing him from being blown away.

Golden draconian scales surrounding his entire visible body, claws extending from his fingers, sharper than anything he had ever seen, spiky black hair with golden streaks flowing furiously with the gale-force winds, eyes black as night with shining golden slit pupils that screamed inhuman power… all of this surrounded by a massive, golden godly aura that seemed to touch the sky and spun around him like a tornado… Natsu Dragneel had returned from apparent death, and he seemed furious.

Slowly, painstakingly slowly, Natsu began to walk towards the massive demon. With every single step he took, the ground shook and cracked, hundreds of pieces of debris rising up in the air before being blown away into the night. Gray had to cast his **Ice Make: Shield** to prevent any of the new debris from hitting him or Erza.

Movement could be felt from his arms. Looking down, he saw Erza moving slowly, lifting a hand to her head. Her beautiful features scrunched up in a painful expression. Moments later, she released a small cry of pain as she clutched her head harder.

"Erza! Are you alright?!" asked Gray, looking her over, making sure she was alright.

"I'm… fine… Gray…" she croaked, opening her eyes a little. "What's… this… magical… pressure? It's… too… powerful…"

"It's Natsu…"

At hearing his name, Erza's eyes shot open, widening as far as they could go. She placed a hand on Gray's shoulder and gripped it tightly.

"What did you say?" she demanded, seemingly forgetting about her headache.

"That magical energy you're feeling… It's Natsu," Gray repeated. "Look…"

Gray lowered his flower-shaped shield of ice, revealing the amazing view for Erza. She gasped and placed one of her hands on her mouth. Gray was right… It _was_ Natsu.

Waves of relief and warmth spread throughout her entire body. The magical energy wasn't causing her a headache anymore. Instead, it filled her with something she could not describe. It was as if the energy transcended human limitations… human understanding. She thought she was in the presence of a _god_… those almighty powerful beings worshipped by mankind as myths. Her skin, her senses, and her mind burned with newfound life and energy as she witnessed the man that was capturing her armored heart walking towards Deliora without a single expression.

"I… can't believe it… He's alive…" Erza breathed, a lone tear escaping her left eye. "Natsu… had this much power inside him all along? I can't find a beginning nor end to it! It's… infinite!"

"But what's going on?" asked Gray. "Why is this happening to him? He's never shown such a thing before!"

"I think he has…" replied Erza. "We just… never knew what it really was."

"Erza's… right," said a hoarse voice from behind them. Both wizards turned to see Draxnor walking towards them, completely beaten up and bloody. He looked worse than ever before, with his right arm dangling limply to his side and his left arm clutching it. His clothes were torn and tattered, smeared with blood, revealing his bruised up torso. Blood flowed down his temple, his eyes, and mouth. With every single step he took towards them, he cringed in pain.

"Draxnor! You're alive!" Gray nearly shouted.

"What do you mean, I'm right?" asked Erza, removing herself from Gray's arms and standing up, albeit shakily.

"Natsu… has always… had that aspect of him showing…" Draxnor replied, leaning upon a miraculously untouched tree. "You just… never knew…"

"How do you know that?" she almost demanded.

"It's… a _very_ long story…" he muttered.

"Well, you can tell us later!" Gray interrupted. "Right now, we have to help Natsu! I know he may have received a boost in power, but he still might need our help!"

"Oh… he won't," Draxnor stated, earning surprised looks from Erza and Gray.

"How do you know that?" she asked again, looking at him suspiciously.

"Look…" was all he said as he shakily removed his left arm from his right and pointed at Natsu, who was now a few meters away from Deliora. Both turned and looked raptly. "You have _no_ idea how _powerful_ Natsu is…"

Deliora unleashed a mighty roar before a lime-green orb appeared just above its mouth. Erza and Gray tensed. Natsu, on the other hand, seemed totally unfazed by the fact that Deliora was charging the same attack that almost decimated the group a few, agonizing minutes ago.

Deliora released the destructive beam, hitting Natsu spot on. An enormous column of flames erupted, swallowing him completely. Smoke billowed into the sky, blocking the moon from view.

"NATSU!" screamed Erza, fearing the worst once again. She relaxed, though, when she still felt that incredibly warm energy filling her body. The smoke cleared, revealing Natsu… totally unscathed…

Everyone's breath hitched. He stood there, his posture unchanged. Everyone gasped in surprise and their eyes widened when Natsu suddenly disappeared into thin air, the enormous aura following suit. Frantically, they searched for him, and it seemed that Deliora was doing the exact same thing. But he was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, Natsu appeared right in front of Deliora, his right arm extended. Golden energy swirled around his right hand, growing exponentially until it took the shape of a giant dragon arm. He swiped horizontally, smashing Deliora with so much force that it lifted it completely off its feet and sent it flying back, drawing large amounts of blood and a pained roar. He didn't stop his assault there, though, for he disappeared shortly after and appeared right above the demon's flying body and smashed the ethereal dragon claw into Deliora's torso, sending it reeling to the ground, where it suffered a monumental crash. He then proceeded to punch the air, sending wave after wave of golden energy at the downed demon, creating explosion after explosion and lifting even more dust. The demon could only roar in pain as it took the brutal assault, blood splattering on the ground.

The rest of the team could only watch in total astonishment. Speechlessness had never been a big thing in Team Natsu, especially with the immense familiarity to each other's powers (except Draxnor's), and Natsu and Gray bickering all the time… until now…

The demon that had totally dominated the fight a few minutes ago and fatally injured Natsu and Draxnor was now being dominated… by _Natsu_ himself.

Erza just couldn't believe it… she thought she was in a dream. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect Natsu to show that much power… _never_! Of course, she knew he was powerful… _very_ powerful… powerful enough to match her and Mirajane in combat. And a few hours ago, he surpassed them! He defeated Draxnor, when _she_ couldn't! But _this_… this was just not expected… at all. The sheer amount of power he was unleashing was just… unfathomable. She could honestly go as far as to say that Natsu was now more powerful that all of Fairy Tail combined, even with Master Makarov, Laxus, Mystogan and Gildarts thrown in! This was… inconceivable!

"He's not in control…" muttered Draxnor, completely snapping her out of her thoughts. Her eyes widened slightly.

"What do you mean?" she asked, slightly apprehensive.

"Natsu's not in control… if you look closely, you'll see what I mean…" he explained, pointing over at Natsu, who was _still_ unleashing more horrifyingly deadly strikes upon the demon.

Erza looked closely, trying to find any minute piece of evidence to prove Draxnor's statement. Her eyes widened in horror… There were signs… and they were not just physical. First, and foremost, was the magical energy. It was becoming unstable… rampaging all over the place, flares licking at the ground and slicing it.

It didn't feel like Natsu anymore… hell, after he reappeared, even then it didn't feel like him. It just felt… foreign… like if Natsu had become someone else entirely.

Physically, Natsu sported a look of pure, unadulterated hatred… a look that she could not associate with him, no matter the situation… no matter the enemy... Yes… the signs were there…

Natsu… was no longer in control of his own power…

"W-W-What do we do?" Erza stuttered frantically. Her heart wrenched at the thought of being useless to help Natsu… to help him out of his crazed state. She felt rage building within her for being so weak… so useless… like _that_ time. She made to walk forward, but Draxnor's extended left hand stopped her.

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do right now…" Draxnor answered, shaking his head, disapproving of Erza's small attempt at getting to Natsu. "We will just have to wait for him to calm down, but I have no idea when it's going to happen… If we try to interfere right now, he might kill us."

Erza clenched her teeth, knowing Draxnor was right. She begrudgingly relented, placing a hand over her heart as a few more tears escaped the confines of her left eye. _'Natsu… please… calm down… don't lose yourself in that power… I need you with me!'_

Natsu had seemingly finished the barrage of attacks. A massive crater was created right below Deliora, and it seemed to go down rather deeply into the earth. After the dust had receded, the massive blue demon lay there on the ground… completely motionless.

Natsu still remained in the air for a few more seconds before descending the side of the crater closest to Gray, Erza and Draxnor.

Suddenly, a piercing, guttural roar rang from behind Natsu and a bright flash of lime-green signified the usage of Deliora's signature magic beams. Natsu lifted his right arm, completely redirecting the beam into the sky.

"WHAT?!" shouted Erza, completely astounded at the fact that such a powerful beam was redirected with a simple flick of an extremity, and Natsu didn't even turn around! This new power was completely outrageous!

Suddenly, Natsu gave a long, backwards somersault and landed on Deliora's other side. Before the demon could even register that fact, Natsu gripped its arm and began to release energy. Once again, the large, ethereal golden dragon claw appeared and seemingly wrapped around the entirety of Deliora's wide arm.

To Team Natsu's utter astonishment, when Natsu began to rotate ever so slowly, Deliora was actually lifted off the ground and began to orbit around the golden wizard. After increasing in speed to rather high levels, Natsu released the demon into the sky.

Natsu took a deep breath, preparing for his next attack. Massive amounts of golden energy began to swirl right into his mouth. The charging seemed never-ending, as more and more energy flowed into his mouth, showing no signs of release. Deliora was still whirling in the air. However, signs of descent were beginning to show.

As the energy kept flowing, the earth began to shake… harsher than ever before. Debris began to rise into the air over a 35 meter radius. Erza gasped at the magnitude of the attack he was preparing. It was unbelievable…

"That's not good…" muttered Draxnor, looking at the attack and not believing his eyes.

"W-W-What the Hell is t-that?!" shouted Gray.

"Get behind me!" ordered Draxnor suddenly, lifting his unbroken left hand in front of him.

"Why? What's going on?" asked Erza, shaking.

"That attack… I know you feel it, Erza. That single attack can wipe the entire island off the map, no sweat," explained Draxnor, turning to Gray. "Gray, get ready to cast your strongest ice shield. We're going to need that… desperately."

Gray could only nod as he took a stance and began to prepare his strongest ice shield yet. Nervous sweat began to roll off his forehead, and his breathing quickened in anticipation and slight fear.

"Erza… do you have any defensive armors?" asked Draxnor. Erza nodded dumbly. "Good. We will need that. How are your magical reserves?"

"They're running low. But it will be just enough to requip into my strongest defensive armor," she replied, steeling her slightly shaken expression. Draxnor nodded and gestured for her to go ahead.

"**Requip!"**

Erza shone in a bright yellow light as her armor began to change. After the light rescinded, it revealed Erza in her **Adamantine Armor**.

It was a rather bulky armor, with a large spiked headdress and navy blue chest plate and a lighter blue belt-like attachment surrounding her slender waist. Three spikes adorned the top of the chest plate, with a high neck guard split in the middle to allow room for her chin, and the shoulder guards had three spikes dividing it into roughly equal sections, with the middle spike being the largest. At the bottom of the chest plate was a bi-layered, spiked metallic skirt with small spikes hanging off the ends of both layers, and a larger spike hanging inward on the bottom layer. The gauntlets were divided into a few sections, with two large, mirroring tri-bladed shields which obviously gave the armor its surely immense defensive power, and a navy blue jewel at the back of each of her hands. Her leg armor was sectioned with navy blue and white greaves starting at the knees that had a dark blue spike-shaped design similar to the one below her skirt and curving spikes at the back of her knees.

"This is my **Adamantine Armor**," voiced Erza, earning a curt nod from Draxnor.

"Good… let's get ready. He's about to unleash his attack," he said. Erza and Gray nodded and they braced for something that could possibly shake their entire world.

"On three," Draxnor announced as Natsu's subtle movements and the fluctuations of the massive swirl of golden energy hinted at a very near release. "One… Two… THREE!"

As soon as Draxnor shouted "three", Gray casted an enormous **Ice Make: Shield**, Draxnor casted his **Force Shield** and Erza slammed her two large tri-bladed shields together, creating a large, intricately designed, green circular barrier right in front of the ice but behind the **Force Shield**.

And they did it just in the nick of time, for Natsu had unleashed his attack… an incredibly massive golden beam of energy that shot through the horizon, splitting the ground in half, before moving upwards.

A shockwave emanated from him at supersonic speeds, further widening the large crater that was already there. It slammed into the compiled shields casted by the three wizards, nearly overpowering them. Gale-force winds lifted a plethora of dust that flew away from its epicenter, covering all views. For what seemed like an eternity, the three wizards held on to their respective shields, finding it increasingly harder in the maelstrom that ruled the moment.

Finally, as quickly as the attack commenced, it ended, taking the overbearing pressure of its shockwave with it. After a few tense moments of nigh nonexistent visibility, the three wizards released a breath they didn't know they were holding.

Everyone fell to their knees, Draxnor's **Force Shield** dissipating, Gray's ice shield breaking down, and Erza's **Adamantine Armor** cracking slightly and disappearing in a flash of yellow light, replaced by her white sleeveless blouse and her blue skirt. She was breathing heavily, sweat running down her temple, suffering the effects of magical exhaustion. Painstakingly slowly she lifted her head to scrutinize the dust cloud that still hung in the air.

When the dust cleared, the first thing Erza saw was Natsu, standing there with the golden vortex still surrounding him. Deliora was nowhere to be seen. She gasped loudly, but he wasn't the reason.

The area surrounding Natsu was completely barren… devoid of any greenery or any other signs of life. The crater Natsu had created when he unleashed the deadly volley of energy waves had grown exponentially, almost as big as the width of the island. Water began to fill the crater, the sheer amount of it resembling a tsunami.

Natsu just stood rooted in place, either not noticing or not caring about the torrential wave that sped towards him.

Without an inkling of a thought about her safety, Erza stood up and bolted towards Natsu, sliding down the crater. She ignored the exhaustion and the pain that screamed throughout her entire body, wanting to cripple her movement. She only thought about _him_… that idiotic, happy-go-lucky pink-haired Dragon Slayer that seemed to invade her mind, body and soul ever more often since she met him. _Natsu_… that was the only word that crossed her mind at that moment, for she didn't want to lose Natsu to the unforgiving sea.

"ERZA! NO!"

"What are you doing?! Get back here!"

The frantic shouting of Gray and Draxnor met deaf ears. She wanted nothing to do with them right now. Natsu was in danger, and she be damned if she would let him face that danger alone.

Natsu moved, capturing her attention entirely as she ran, the waters creeping up at breathtaking speeds. He opened his mouth slowly and roared into the sky, a roar so loud, yet soft… so powerful, yet weak. It was the roar of a dragon, wounded by the harshness of the battle it just faced, and a solemn reminder that no matter how powerful it may be… it too… had a limit.

"NATSU!"

Erza's frantic scream seemed to get to him, for he ceased his earth-shaking roar and turned to her. She unknowingly began to tear up in both eyes at seeing Natsu respond to his name when he was supposed to be in a frenzied state.

She threw herself into his arms, thinking that the vortex of energy surrounding would hurt her like it did the ground. However, no such thing happened. All she felt was warmth… _godly_ warmth.

"**E… Er… za…"**

She instantly perked at her name being spoken by him with a voice so deep it sent shivers down her spine.

"Natsu! I'm here, Natsu! I'm here!" Erza nearly shouted, looking into his black and gold eyes and cupping his scaly face.

"**Er… za… I…"**

Natsu was interrupted by the large wave that suddenly rose above them, ready to engulf them in the crucially necessary, yet deadly liquid.

Erza's eyes widened in horror, and she gripped Natsu tighter. She then shut them tightly, waiting with a bated breath for the water to crush them.

It never came…

Suddenly, Erza did not hear the roar of running water, nor did she feel wet. She didn't feel her breath being taken away by the water's pressure. She felt weightless, warm and dry. She did lose her breath though. It wasn't because of pressure…

It was because of the position she found herself in. She was being carried by Natsu… bridal-style. She gasped and squeaked very uncharacteristically while blushing brightly. When she looked down, though, she went deathly pale.

They were high up in the air, seemingly over 35 meters. They seemed to be floating, but Erza could not pinpoint the source of said levitation. She would've instantly pegged it on Natsu's overflowing energy if she wouldn't have screamed and thrown her arms around Natsu's neck. She gripped him in what she thought was a death grip, but he didn't seem fazed at all by it.

The grip only got tighter when he suddenly plummeted to the ground, causing her to release a surprised yelp in the beginning then a loud scream the rest of the way.

Contrary to what she expected, the landing was rather soft, as if it was calculated to a fine degree. Erza could honestly say that she didn't even feel the soft impact.

Quickly, she got off of his arms and released her vice grip on his neck. Sharp, but soft brown eyes met inhumanly powerful black and gold. Both wizards held their gazes for what seemed like an eternity, Erza attempting to figure out what Natsu was thinking… if he _was_ thinking. The golden energy vortex still surrounded them, never ceasing its endeavor of keeping its caster and whoever was in its vicinity full of its godly warmth that only_ it_ seemed to provide.

Slowly, tentatively, she lifted her right hand to cup his cheek, and she could've sworn she saw him lean into it ever so slightly.

She couldn't believe it. Right in front of her was a being that held unimaginable power… the power of a god, yet he was still so calm and tame. She couldn't help but notice the shift in his behavior once Deliora was gone. In the back of her mind, she thought that Natsu got _that_ enraged because the demon had injured her. Her heart leapt at that.

"**Er… za…"**

The hum of his deep voice would've been so alluring for Erza if the situation were different. Unfortunately, it wasn't, for Natsu's eyes had rolled back and he fell forward painstakingly slowly, as if in slow motion. Gasping, she pushed her body forward and quickly wrapped her slim arms around his very muscular and scaly torso. The godly vortex dissipated, taking the godly warmth it provided with it. The scales slowly began to fade into his skin, bringing back his normal skin color. His flowing black and gold hair returned to its normal pink color.

"Natsu, are you alright?!" she asked him worriedly, frantically analyzing him with her eyes to find any possible abnormalities that may have appeared after he unleashed his hidden power. Fortunately she found none. As she lowered him into the ground, she inspected his abdomen for any signs of the horrible gash that Deliora gave him a few minutes ago and found it to be fully healed, with a large horizontal scar being the painful souvenir.

At his lack of answer, Erza became more worried. She noticed his shallow breathing and nearly became catatonic once again. She shook him, fresh tears burning her eyes.

"NATSU!"

She quickly placed her ear into his chest, trying to make out a heartbeat. She did, but it was faint… _very faint_. His breathing became shallower, and his normally pleasantly warm skin became ice cold. She shook her head vigorously, viciously denying what seemingly was about to happen.

"No, Natsu! NO!" Erza screamed, tears flowing freely. "I can't lose you Natsu! I just CAN'T! NOT YOU, NATSU! NOT YOU!"

"ERZA!"

Gray's shout sounded through the night, but she paid no heed. She could hear the approaching footsteps as her fellow wizards made their way towards her, but she ignored them. Natsu was in her arms… dying slowly.

"Damn it, Erza! You scared me!" shouted Gray as he arrived. He froze when he saw her holding Natsu, crying her eyes out. "Erza, what's wrong?!"

She looked up at him, and his eyes widened. She was breaking down, her face contorted into one of pure, uninhibited despair… pure grief.

"H-H-He's… d-d-dying…" she managed to choke out. "N-N-Natsu's… d-dying…"

"WHAT?!" shouted Gray as he fell to his knees besides Erza and quickly assessed Natsu. When he felt his cold, stiffening body, his eyes widened, "No… Damn it, that can't be true… Natsu! Wake up, you bastard!"

"Calm down… Let me see him…" voiced out Draxnor as he stumbled to the group.

"CALM DOWN?! HOW CAN I CALM DOWN?! HE'S DYING, FOR GOD'S SAKE!" screamed Erza hysterically. "NATSU!"

"He's not dying, Erza…" stated Draxnor with authority. Both Erza and Gray froze slightly and looked at him as he descended across Erza and placed a hand on Natsu's chest.

When he spoke no more, Erza decided to press on, "H-How can you be so sure?"

"He's in a coma…" Draxnor stated simply, lifting his hand off his chest. "His body might be very cold, and his breathing and heartbeat might be very weak, almost nonexistent, but he's alive…"

"But why is he in a coma in the first place?" asked Erza, attempting to wipe her tears.

"My guess is that his body is acclimating itself to the magic that is now beginning to flow through. It's far more powerful than anything you have ever seen before. However, it's a long and painful process… a process that might kill him…" Draxnor explained, inspecting Natsu closely. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, but it went unnoticed by Erza and Gray.

Erza paled considerably, and she shook her head. "H-He might d-die?"

"Unfortunately, he might… But I doubt that'll happen… Natsu is very powerful. I'm sure he'll complete this change…" Draxnor reassured.

"He will," Gray stated. "Flame-brain will pull through. If he doesn't, I'll personally revive him and kill him myself."

Erza cracked a small smile, but then frowned. "How long will this process take?"

"How long?" he repeated, earning a nod from her. "Hmm, it's hard to tell… It might take anywhere from a few months to a few years. It will all be up to Natsu."

"What about his transformation tonight?" inquired Gray.

"_That, _I think, will be the end result of his change… an extremely powerful transformation stronger than any other thing seen by humankind… stronger than even the mighty dragons."

Erza gasped while Gray's eyes widened considerably.

"He… will be… _that_ strong?" muttered Erza, astonished. "I… can't… _believe_ it!"

"Yes… It will be amazing…." Draxnor said. He then looked up at the sky and at the now silver moon. "Hmm, I think we should get to the village. Lucy should be there with the evacuees."

"How do you-?" began Gray.

"I sensed her… along with Happy."

"Ah…" was all Gray replied. "Yeah… I just sensed her right now."

"Well… we should go but…" Draxnor trailed off.

"But what?" asked Erza, standing up with Natsu in her arms.

"Nothing… it seems you have taken care of it," Draxnor said.

"Oh… Natsu," she muttered, looking down at him with concern.

"Right," Draxnor confirmed, backing away while lifting his left arm. Flames quickly surrounded him and disappeared just as quick, revealing Draxnor's trench coat in his hand. "Here, you should put this on Natsu."

"Thanks…" Erza smiled softly. She then covered Natsu, making sure she didn't leave any part uncovered.

"No problem. You… should get going," he replied. "I'll stay behind and make sure Deliora is dead."

"Will you be okay?" asked Erza.

"Yeah, I should be fine. Besides, I doubt Deliora survived such a blast. It might be powerful, but that single attack held more power than Deliora could ever muster, so it's most likely dead," Draxnor replied, assuring them with a small smile. "Besides, I promised Lyon that I would get his friends back, so I have to do that…"

"Right," replied Erza and Gray, turning away from him.

They began walking in the direction of the village, Gray deciding to take Natsu's body from her, much to her chagrin. Draxnor, looking at Natsu's serene face while gripping his broken right arm, smiled evilly.

'_Finally… after hundreds of years… he has reawakened… Natsu… the legendary deity of dragons… the Dragon God…'_

…

* * *

><p><em><strong>And there you have it!<br>**_

_**With this chapter, the Galuna Island Arc (the part that matters) is complete! I hope you enjoyed it!**_

_**I don't exactly know when the next chapter for "The Holy Trinity" will be up as I have a job and it takes up quite a bit of my time. **_

_**For now... Review, review, review!**_

_**Until next time! Ciao!**_


	6. Guilds at War I: Comatose

_**Hello, everyone!**_

_**Here's chapter 6 of "The Holy Trinity"! That's right, if you haven't noticed yet, I have changed the title of this story. The last title did not have much to do with what I have planned for this story, and THIS title does... a lot...**_

_**We have arrived at the Phantom Lord Arc, which I decided to call "Guilds at War" since it sounds cooler. This arc will have my changes, so look forward to them. **_

_**Another note... Thank you everyone for your support and reviews. Over 5000 hits on my first fic... wow, that's great. Although I would like some more reviews, but that's fine. I'm not going to hold back chapters because I want more reviews. **_

_**Anyways, onto the story!**_

_**Please read and review!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, its rights or any of its characters, spells, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima. I only own my OCs, my spells, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " "= **Dialogue**

**Requip " "= Spells, Magical Item Names and Non-Human Speech  
><strong>

_What? ' ' = _**Thoughts**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: Guilds at War I: Comatose<strong>

"Hey, Gajeel, what the hell is happening over there?!"

When the Dragon Slayer didn't respond, she grew miffed.

"Hey! Snap out of it!"

"What?! Damn it, Selene, I'm right next to you! You don't have to scream your head off!" replied Gajeel, just as miffed.

"Well, you didn't answer! And I was calling you for like the past… FIVE minutes!" Selene retorted angrily.

"Well, _sorry_ if I didn't answer your calls! Maybe I was just too _annoyed_ by your presence to listen to you!" Gajeel countered. Selene growled, wanting to punch him, but she restrained herself and turned away.

"Whatever, tin head…" was all Selene said as she stared at the golden pillar that _still_ illuminated the night sky like the Sun.

'_What is that? I have never seen such a thing before in my life! It seems like magic, but what kind?! It looks too powerful to be _human_ magic!'_ she thought, narrowing her eyes. They widened, however, when she remembered something _he_ said a few years ago.

"_There is a magic I have been searching for my entire life… a magic that transcends human limitations… human understanding…"_

'_Did he find it? Did Draxnor find that magic? No… it can't be… Not right now when I'm about to kill him! Damn it!' _she roared mentally, slamming her fist on the roof they were on, which overlooked the Fairy Tail Guild. Said gesture was surprisingly ignored by Gajeel, who still looked at the pillar of light, eerily quiet and contemplative.

'_What's going on? Why do I feel this… this instinctual need to bow to that light? Why?'_ he thought.

"Hey, Gajeel…" began Selene, snapping him out of his train of thought.

"Hmm?"

"Is it almost time?" she asked, looking at him intently. He shook his head.

"No, not yet. We still have about an hour and a half," he replied.

"_Still _that long?" she whined. "Damn, that sounds like an eternity!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Get over it, _little girl_…" Gajeel chided. "Tonight, we'll show those Fairy scum who the real strongest guild in Fiore is."

Selene scoffed before facing the guild, a malicious smile appearing on her face.

'_Your time has come, Draxnor Hellion… I will make you pay for all the suffering you've made me go through…'_

…

Draxnor was in thought… very deep in thought.

Natsu had shown incredible power. He really had.

The only problem was that Natsu had no control whatsoever… and _that_… was not a good thing.

For the plan to work, he needed Natsu to be in complete control of his reawakened power, and he honestly did not know when _that_ would happen. He did not lie when he told Erza that it might take _years_ for him to be fully in control of his power… even with training thrown in.

He did lie, however, when he told her that what Natsu had shown tonight would be the end result of his mastery. No… what he showed tonight was not even _close_ to the power he would possess in the future. His final transformation… well, it was fit for a god like him…

He sincerely hoped it didn't take too long… his and his master's patience was beginning to wear thin…

Deliora was dead… that was a fact. A Demon Lord like Deliora would not be able to survive an attack of that caliber… there was no way in _hell_… A Demon Overlord, perhaps, and that was pushing it… but a Demon Lord… no way.

The power packed in that attack was outrageous. He would go as far as to say that the power he showcased tonight matched Acnologia's when it was having an off day… if it ever had one. Even if it was uncontrolled and unrefined, he doubted that there was even a hair left of Deliora. Yup, it was completely vaporized. Horrible fate… just horrible…

Now that Erza and Gray weren't around, Draxnor could walk normally. Even though he was actually injured and his right arm was actually broken, since he had it casted and on a sling, it would take only a few days for it to be completely healed… even less if he released _it_ a little bit.

He mistook a step, nearly tripping as he stumbled across his **Eternal Damnation**. So there it was… he was beginning to miss the blade, for several _important_ reasons.

Taking it out of the ground, he flourished it for a little bit before it burst into flames and disappeared into thin air.

He winced slightly at the use of his magic. He was actually nearing the absolute limit that he could muster in this state. If he would use any more magic, he would start scratching on his _other_ power, and that would not be a good thing…

Now that he had his precious sword, he made his way to the ruined temple. He had to find those idiot friends of that silver-haired brat, Lyon. He could care less if they were alive or dead. He just had to keep his promise.

As he made his way slowly, he felt something… or rather… _someone_, watching him from behind.

"You know…" he began, turning around and staring straight at a seemingly normal tree. "It's rather rude to spy on someone. I thought your mother taught you better… Zalty, or should I say… Ultear Milkovich."

"My, my… I have been caught. Oh, how _troublesome_," Ultear's voice purred coyly as she jumped down to the ground from the tree Draxnor had been staring at.

Ultear was a very beautiful woman with waist-length purple hair and brown eyes, and she had a body many women would kill for… with large, perfectly shaped breasts, nigh perfect hourglass figure and a deliciously supple, heart-shaped ass to finish the deal. The outfit she wore did little to hide such… assets.

She wore what seemed to be a thigh-length, white kimono with a yellow sash tied around her waist. It was slightly open at the top, revealing some of her impressive cleavage. Her toned, mile-long legs only made her that much more desirable. She had her hair loose with two bangs framing her beautiful face extending down to her chest.

"What do you want, Ultear?" asked Draxnor impassively.

"Straight to the point… You're no fun…" she purred again as she sauntered sultrily over to him. "Looks like Deliora did quite a number on you. Although, that power Natsu showed was…_ enticing_…"

That seductive tone she used at the end would have sent massive shivers down the spine of any man, but Draxnor remained impassive… somehow.

"Yes… it was…" was all he replied.

"Do you know what it is? Where it came from? How he had it in the first place?" she bombarded him with questions.

"One at a time, Ultear…" he stated calmly, closing his eyes.

"Oh, alright, then. What was that?" she asked.

"That is for me to know and for you to find out…" he replied, smirking.

"No fair…" she pouted, rather cutely. She then leaned dangerously close to him, giving him a very good view of her luscious breasts, and ran a finger down his scarred body. "What will I need to do for you to tell me?"

'_Two can play at that game, my dear Ultear,'_ he thought, twitching slightly. She was really wearing down on his defenses.

"Nothing because I won't tell you…" he muttered, purposely breathing heavily in her ear. She felt some shivers racing across her spine. "Tell me, Ultear… how is Hades these days?"

That did the trick… Her breath caught in her throat loudly. She jumped back and summoned a crystal orb, and had a wide-eyed shocked expression on her face.

"_How do you know about him_?" she growled.

"My, my… losing our cool, aren't we?" Draxnor mocked.

"Shut up! Tell me _now_!_ How do you know about him?!_" she repeated.

"Ultear, Ultear. You should really calm down. It's not like you to lose your cool, according to what _Siegrain _says," Draxnor said, still in a mocking tone.

"Don't make me hurt you, Draxnor Hellion," Ultear threatened. "Tell me… _now_!"

"Ultear, you and I both know that you're no match for me, even in my current condition," Draxnor stated, his eyes fixed on her visage which contorted in barely-restrained anger.

"Would you like to test that theory?" she seethed, tensing in her battle stance.

"No… I have better things to do…" he said, turning away from her. He was about to begin walking when she stepped right in front of him.

"I cannot let you go now… You know too much and… you must be eliminated," Ultear stated seriously. Then, in a rather abrupt seductive tone, she purred, "Such a shame. You were _so_ handsome…"

'_Damn her and her feminine wiles… I'm having a hard time resisting them…' _thought Draxnor angrily.

His thoughts were interrupted when she attempted kick him down into the ground. Out of pure reflex, he lifted his left arm and blocked her leg with his palm… with little effort. Her eyes widened slightly.

"Oh, my. Even with all those injuries, you can still put up a fight…" she commented offhandedly, smirking. She was about to jump off when Draxnor gripped her leg tightly. She struggled slightly to get out, but to no avail… his grip was too tight, and it only seemed to be tightening.

"_Let me go_!" she ordered, wincing slightly in pain.

"As you wish…" he muttered, throwing her away with surprising strength and agility. She twisted a few times in the air until she landed on her right hand. Using it as propulsion, she flipped onto her feet and skidded back a few meters. She grunted in annoyance as she stopped, and then glared holes at him.

'_Tch… he's good…'_ she thought in annoyance.

"It is truly not my wish to fight you, Ultear," Draxnor declared, creating a pitch black orb of flames. He winced slightly at the usage of his magic, but he maintained his calm under Ultear's harshening glare. "And fret not… your secret will remain safe with me. I am not one to reveal secrets when they don't want to be revealed. I'd rather them reveal _themselves_."

"Are you sure you can fight me? You seem to be on your last ropes of magic power…" Ultear taunted, only to scowl once again at Draxnor's smirk.

"Oh, don't worry… I have a lot of magic power where that came from…" he replied, the orb increasing in size. He winced once again, much more noticeably. Ultear caught it.

"Tch, don't bluff, Hellion. You have nothing left!" she stated. "You and I both know that you're empty!"

"Would you like to test _that_ theory?" he retorted. He then muttered something inaudible.

Suddenly, a large surge of magic power emanated from him, steadily increasing. It stopped increasing when a blazing red aura manifested around him, with small streaks of black shooting out sporadically.

Ultear's eyes widened considerably. She never expected Draxnor to still have magic in him! But it was different. It was dark. It was… _evil_…

'_What is this? What's going on?!'_ she thought frantically. _'Where is this magic coming from? _Where_?!'_

"You see, Ultear?" he asked mockingly, his orb disappearing in a snap of his fingers. The magical aura disappeared and his magical energy levels plummeted instantly to their former levels.

With a small smile, he began to walk away once again, but alas, once again he was stopped by her.

"How can I be so sure that you won't go around spreading my secret?" she demanded, a slight tinge of fear visible in her eyes.

Now _that_ was something he did not expect from _Ultear Milkovich_ of all people… _fear_.

"Well… what would you like me to offer you?" he asked. She seemed thoughtful for a second before apparently coming to her decision.

"Well…" she began as she leaned into his ear and whispered her request. The moment she was finished, Draxnor burst into laughter.

"Oh, Ultear! That is rich!" he laughed.

"SHUT UP!" she screamed, earning his silence and a pointed stare from him. "So… will you do it?"

"Hmm, I'll see what I can do, Ultear," was all Draxnor said before turning and walking away from her for the third time. Sensing no interruption, he added, "May I have my leave now?"

"Yes… you may," she ground out.

"Thank you…" was all he replied, taking a few steps before stopping again. "Oh, by the way, send my regards to Siegrain… _and_… check up on that bruise you have on your beautiful face. You wouldn't want such a blemish to ruin such… _angelic_ features."

The moment he mentioned the bruise, it seemed to magically show and she clutched her face, groaning in pain. Chuckling slightly, Draxnor walked away and disappeared into the forest.

'_Damn you, Natsu Dragneel. This actually hurts! Although, I have to admit that punch was _deliciously_ strong,'_ she thought with a growing smile. It instantly disappeared, though, when she looked at the spot where Draxnor disappeared.

'_Just _who _are you, Draxnor Hellion?'_

…

Lucy Heartfilia was worried… she was nervous. Scratch that. She was a nervous wreck!

When she arrived at the somehow completely reconstructed village with Gray's injured friend, Lyon, his band of victimized cultists, and a rather unhappy Happy, she could still hear the faint, distant rumbles and roars of an all-out life or death battle, and they seemed to rage for an eternity.

She couldn't stand the fact that Erza, Gray, Natsu and now Draxnor were fighting off a demon that not even Gray's teacher Ur could defeat… and she, according to Gray, had immense magic power, far surpassing his current level. Meanwhile, she had to stay here and suffer the mental torture of fearing the worst for her precious teammates. She couldn't take it!

Minute after minute passed, and her resolve would weaken further. She struggled greatly to stay in place, knowing that her friends were looking death in the eyes. Many times she just wanted to abandon everything and go help them, but she just couldn't…

She knew she was nowhere _near_ strong enough to battle a demon like Deliora. She _knew_ that she would just be a burden for them, and it hurt her greatly. They were supposed to be a _team_, for God's sake! They were supposed to support each other through thick and thin! For them to stay behind and let her go… she just felt like she was abandoning _them_… and she didn't like that one bit.

And then that ungodly roar pierced through the night… louder than anything she ever heard before in her life.

It sent massive shivers down her spine. She never heard such a thing before… It was… _otherworldly_…

That, coupled with that incredibly massive vortex of golden energy that shot out of nowhere into the sky, made it something to behold. The energy made that roar sound even more otherworldly… no… it made it _godly_. The strange thing was… she couldn't feel anything… no magical energy signature, no pressure… nothing. She only felt _warmth_… warmth that embraced her completely… warmth that she wouldn't mind spending eternity basking in… warmth that made her feel _complete_…

She could only attribute _that_ to one person… _Natsu_.

Natsu… that idiotic, fun-loving pink-haired Dragon Slayer that brought her to her dream… that made her dream come true… Fairy Tail. Natsu… that reckless, selfless enigma that would give everything for his precious people… even his life…

Natsu, in such a short amount of time, had become a very important part of her life. Without him, she wouldn't be in Fairy Tail. She would probably be somewhere in Bosco, overworked as a slave or worse… beaten and raped.

She flinched horribly at the thought…

Then, those thoughts were interrupted by an immense golden beam of energy that seemingly shot from somewhere on the island into the sky, completely breaking it. Right then and there, her surprise and shock knew no bounds. How much power would an attack need to have to completely break the sky? _Who_ had that kind of power?

The answers were quite easy… a heck of a lot of power and only a _god_ would have that kind of power.

But wait… wouldn't that mean that _Natsu_, of all people, was a _god_?

Yes… it completely meant that… Natsu… was a _god_!

As improbable as it may be, that definitely had to be the answer. No other beings in existence had _that _much power… except maybe the dragons. But even then, she would have sensed the presence of a dragon on the island. With the sheer magic power they would be sure to exude naturally and the surely immense magnitude of their attacks… well, they'd be amongst the easiest creatures to sense. She would know when she was in the presence of a dragon…

She may be an occasional airhead, but she was _far_ from stupid…

"ERZA!"

Happy's excited squeak snapped her completely out of her thoughts. Apparently, she was so lost in thought that she did not notice the increasing commotion and cheers by the villagers and the cultists.

Her eyes widened as she looked at the village gates.

There they were… the three wizards that went up against Deliora and seemingly succeeded… Wait… three?

Cold, crushing dread began to fill Lucy. There was Erza, Gray, and a seemingly unconscious Natsu. But no Draxnor… he was nowhere to be seen. And the somber expressions Erza and Gray wore only made it worse. Sure, he told Lyon that he was going to go find Sherry and his other friends, but she expected the _entire_ group to come together… not _this_…

And then… Natsu was unconscious! He didn't come back with that wide, toothy grin that had become his absolute trademark. He didn't come back waving wildly at her while screaming "We kicked ass Luce!" or other wacky statements that only he seemed to produce. No… he came back unmoving, with no emotion whatsoever…

"Erza!" called out Lucy as she ran forward to the badly beaten group. Said redhead looked up, her now surprised expression disappearing slightly, replaced by a small smile.

"How are you, Erza? Gray? What happened to Natsu? And where's Draxnor?" Lucy asked.

"Before we answer… _how is the village back in one piece_?" asked Gray incredulously.

"I have no idea! I mean, we came here like you told us expecting to still see the hole and that storage, but not _this_!" she replied. "But who cares about that! How are _you_ guys? _You_ were the ones that fought a super-powerful demon! And where's Draxnor?!"

"We are fine…" Erza replied before looking at Natsu and frowning sadly. "Natsu… is in a coma…"

"WHAT?!" Lucy shrieked, covering her mouth with her hands. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to prevent tears from accumulating in her eyes. She succeeded slightly. Happy, on the other hand, was not as successful.

"No…" he breathed, tears flowing freely down his feline face, besmirching his soft blue fur with woes and fear. "He… can't… be…"

"It's okay, Happy… Natsu will be fine… he will pull through, like always. You'll see," Erza consoled, embracing the distraught Exceed. This seemed to work as the little cat visibly relaxed in her warm embrace.

She was right… Natsu was _certainly_ going to pull through this. After all, Natsu was Natsu… his best friend, his mentor, his _surrogate father_. There was _no way_ Natsu was going to die.

"You're right… Natsu _will_ pull through this! And I won't cry! I'll be strong for Natsu!" Happy declared, removing himself from her arms, spreading his tiny angelic wings and pumping a tiny fist into the air, tears sill visible in his face.

"Atta boy, Happy," Gray encouraged, giving him a small smile. "That's the spirit."

"W-What happened to D-Deliora?" asked Lucy, still a little shaken at the fact that her not-so-secret crush was in a coma.

"Dead…" was all Gray said. "Natsu killed it… by himself."

"What?!" Lucy nearly shouted, astonished. She had her suspicions when the attack came forth, but Gray's statement completely proved it; it _was_ Natsu.

"You… can't… be… serious, Gray…"

Attention caught, everyone turned to the new voice to see Lyon limping towards them, supported by one of his cultists.

"Deliora is _dead_? And Natsu killed it _by himself_?" Lyon asked, earning a nod. "That's impossible… Not even Ur could beat that thing!"

"I know, Lyon. But, did you see that golden vortex that was shooting into the sky?" inquired Gray. At Lyon's nod, Gray continued, "Well, that was magical energy, and before you ask who it was, it was Natsu. Natsu was the one that was releasing all of that power… _Natsu_ was the one that completely obliterated Deliora by himself! We were just spectators when it happened!"

"_My God!_" breathed Lyon's supporter, completely flabbergasted.

"He's… _that_ powerful?" Lyon asked disbelievingly.

"He is…" was all Erza said, caressing Natsu's face affectionately. Coma or not, he looked extremely peaceful... and cute. She let out a small sigh of relief when she felt a tinge of heat in his still ice-cold visage.

"Where's Draxnor?" asked Lucy, feeling a tad bit ignored.

"We'll tell you everything in the tent. We need to rest, for we are leaving tomorrow morning," replied Erza. Lucy only nodded and, with Happy right behind her, followed the pair as they walked towards the tent reserved for them when they started the mission. When they carefully laid Natsu on the ground, Erza sat to his left while Gray and Lucy sat to his right.

"Well…?" prompted Lucy, sitting at Natsu's feet. "What's going on?"

"Draxnor's still alive. He's currently searching for Lyon's friends," Erza replied.

Lucy released a small sigh of relief, glad that their newest partner wasn't dead.

"That's good…"

"He's also making sure that Deliora is _really_ dead," Gray added. Lucy gasped loudly, making Gray flinch slightly. Maybe that was something he should not have revealed…

"_By himself_?!" she nearly shrieked. "_Why is he doing that by himself_?!"

"He wanted to. He _did_ promise Lyon that he would get his friends back. And, well, I assume he wanted to search for his sword…" Erza explained.

"He has a sword?!" Lucy inquired, surprised.

"Yes, he does… and he's a master swordsman. _I _would know, since I fought him myself and lost," replied Erza.

"Wow… what else does he have?" asked Happy, finally joining the conversation.

"Well, he uses some kind of magic…" began Erza, taking a thoughtful expression. "It's like fire magic, but the flames are pitch-black…"

Lucy frowned slightly. "What's it called?"

"He calls it **Hellfire Magic**…"

"**Hellfire Magic**…" repeated Lucy, placing a hand on her chin, as if trying to remember something. She then gasped softly, her eyes widening.

"What is it, Lucy? What's wrong?" asked Erza, concerned.

"I've read about it…" Lucy whispered. "I don't remember which book… but… I've read about it!"

"Well?" prompted Erza.

"**Hellfire Magic** is a forgotten art… a **Lost Magic**, like Natsu's **Fire Dragon Slayer Magic**!" revealed Lucy, to the thorough shock of everyone else in the tent. "According to that book, its only purpose is to destroy anything it comes into contact with, and it is very successful at that. They were called "Ignis Inferni"… the Flames of Hell…"

After Lucy's shocking revelation, tension ruled the atmosphere in the tent. Nobody spoke a word, for they were too deep in their thoughts.

"But… it's weird…" continued Lucy. Everyone listened raptly. "According to that book I read, the last recorded sighting of such a magic in usage was a little under 400 years ago."

"What?!" Erza nearly shouted. "But… how would Draxnor know a magic that has not been seen for hundreds of years?!"

"I don't know…" replied Lucy honestly, shaking her head. "But… that's not all. Whoever was able to use **Hellfire Magic** was instantly categorized as a dark wizard of the _worst_ kind…"

Lucy trailed off, leaving everyone in the tent very unnerved and scared… Images of Draxnor with a maniacally happy expression on his face while destroying Magnolia with his bare hands did not help with the tension at all. Erza, however, had a very thoughtful frown and placed a hand on her chin.

"_Throughout those horribly lonely years, I have made some rather crooked decisions…"_

"So _that's_ why he said those words when he joined…" she whispered, rather softly, but audible enough to be heard by everyone else.

"What words?" asked Gray seriously.

"The night he joined Fairy Tail, he said to the master that he had made very bad decisions in the past…" explained Erza. "That explains everything! Draxnor… was a dark wizard before!"

"H-He was?" asked Lucy, slightly fearful.

"Yes, that has to be the reason why Draxnor said such a thing," replied Erza, her thoughtful expression not disappearing.

"What are we going to do about it?" asked Happy.

"I will have a word with Draxnor once he returns…" Erza replied.

"Will he get angry?" asked Gray. "He may be calm most of the time, but I think there a slightly more temperamental side of him that we haven't seen yet."

"Whatever the case is, I will have a word with him. I have to know where his loyalties lie," Erza stated. "He may only have been a member for a few days, but it's necessary to know whether he has any… _other_ intentions other than forging a new path…"

Silence ruled the tent, mixed in with the tension and slight fear that Lucy's revelation gave.

"What do we do now?" asked Gray, breaking the silence.

"We rest. We are leaving tomorrow to take Natsu to Fairy Tail, where he will surely be safer and warmer, not to mention in _much_ better medical care," Erza said, caressing Natsu's face tenderly.

"Right…" replied Lucy, yawning slightly. She went over to the right side of the tent. "Well, goodnight everyone. I'm tired…"

"So am I…" Gray stated. "I'm beat. Fighting Deliora was no walk in the park. As much as I hate to admit it, if it weren't for _flame-brain_ here, we wouldn't be alive. What will you do, Erza?"

"I will stay awake for a few more hours to monitor Natsu's condition and see if it improves. I'm hoping Draxnor comes back in that lapse of time."

Gray nodded, moving over to one of the futons set up near the back of the tent and laying down.

"What about you, Happy?" inquired Erza, breaking the little Exceed out of his trance.

"I'll stay with Natsu as well. I want to be with him," he said, flying over to the Dragon Slayer's chest and curling up into a ball there.

Erza smiled warmly at perhaps one of the cutest scenes she has seen in a _very_ long time, probably _ever_. Why wouldn't it be cute? There was Happy, a small, adorably energetic, _happy_ flying cat. And then there was the object of her affections… Natsu. Just as adorably energetic as Happy, if not more, reckless and selfless, not to mention _freaking_ _hot_, and possessing one of the _fiercest_, yet _cutest_ smiles and personalities… well, she could go on forever… All in all, the scene was just cute… _period_.

She lost her smile when her thoughts trailed to the newest addition to the team. Draxnor Hellion was a total mystery. That was obvious. The fact that he knew what Natsu possessed before he even manifested it only served to add to that mystery. And then, there was his usage of **Hellfire Magic**,a magic historically used by the darkest of wizards. She had a fleeting suspicion that _those_ were only _a few_ of the many things Draxnor kept secret from them when he joined Fairy Tail.

And Erza was going to get to the bottom of it… _no matter what_…

…

Draxnor walked in serene silence towards the small village. After a four-hour-long search, he finally found Lyon's eccentric teammates stuck in the rubble of the now destroyed temple. Only Sherry seemed grateful about being saved by the man that defeated _and_ threatened them with death. Dog-face and Bushy Brows (as he so eloquently nicknamed them since he didn't care in the least for their actual names) seemed a tad more apprehensive towards him. They could feel the aura of raw power he exuded when he walked, and the serious, yet confident expression he always wore on his visage only seemed to add to that aura.

"Um, how far away are we?" rang Sherry' surprisingly meek voice.

"We shouldn't be too far away…" replied Draxnor simply. "Actually, the gates are visible right up ahead."

And he was right. Right ahead of them, about 100 to 150 meters away, were the tall log gates that protected the village from outsiders.

'_Seems like Ultear's handiwork… Good job Ultear,'_ thought Draxnor.

When they reached the village, the gates opened, seemingly automatically. Slightly surprised, he quickly deduced that it was the work of one of his fellow wizards that was awake. They were quickly met with cheering from the locals, _still_ looking like demons, even with a silver moon.

"Sherry, Toby… Yuka!" a voice pierced through the commotion. The four wizards turned to see Lyon rushing towards the group, heavily bandaged and being supported by one of the locals. "I'm so relieved!"

"Lyon! My love!" replied Sherry, _very_ lovingly. She seemed to melt into blissful putty when he embraced her. Draxnor noticed due to the fact that she blushed a bright red and was shakily returning the hug.

"Draxnor… Thank you. Thank you so much! How can I ever repay you?" he asked, almost kneeling before the scarred wizard.

"There will be no need for repayment. Just take care of your friends… they care greatly for you," Draxnor replied, deciding to leave the group to themselves.

"I will, Draxnor. I promise," Lyon replied. Draxnor's only response was a backwards wave with his left hand as he walked over to Chief Moka, who was not too far away.

"Chief Moka, where are Erza, Natsu, and the others?" Draxnor inquired. When the chief was about to answer, a female voice interrupted.

"We're at the tent over there, Draxnor…"

Draxnor turned to see Erza, clad in her signature **Heart Kreuz** **Armor**, pointing at a tent not far away from them.

"Ah, Erza. Is everything alright?" he asked, noticing the very serious expression she had.

"I need to speak with you, Draxnor… privately," she replied, gesturing for him to follow her as she walked towards another part of the village. He followed suit, lost in thought.

He mindlessly followed her for about five minutes until she suddenly stopped. Almost bumping into her, he managed to regain his bearings and locked eyes. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see that they were not in the village anymore.

Silence ruled the air for a few moments, tension unnaturally high.

"Is there something wrong, Erza?" he asked, finally breaking the seemingly infinite silence.

"What are you keeping from us?" she inquired curtly, her stare harshening slightly.

"I'm afraid I don't understand, Erza… what do you mean?" he inquired, sounding confused. Internally, he was almost certain of what she wanted to know.

"What happened in your past? What crooked decisions have you made?" she asked, slightly less curt.

"I see… I will tell you… some of it. But first things first, how's Natsu?" he said.

"He's resting over at the tent. He's still freezing cold, but I can already feel a bit more warmth coming from him," she replied, a concerned hint in her harsh tone.

"I see… that's good. What will we be doing next?" he asked, seemingly avoiding the other subject. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"We'll rest, of course. That battle _really_ took it out of us all," Erza explained. "Then, tomorrow, we'll leave. Do you think the pirates we scared into bringing us will still be there?"

"I don't see why they _shouldn't_ be there…"

"Alright… so, will you tell me?"

"Right… I…" he began, albeit slightly hesitantly. "It's kind of a long story. Would you like to sit?"

"Very well," she replied, looking around for a decent place to sit. She found it in a seemingly recently collapsed log. "Will you be standing?"

"Yes… Well, here goes…"

She sat there expectantly, almost impatiently. She had grown curious ever since Draxnor mentioned his dark past, and now it finally seemed that she would satisfy her ever-growing curiosity.

"I used to be a dark wizard," he revealed, expecting her to be shocked, only for _him_ to be shocked when he didn't see an outward reaction from her. She seemed strangely impassive, as if she already knew that single fact.

"When I was a young boy, about 10 years old, I joined perhaps the strongest dark guild in existence right now… Grimoire Heart…" he said, thoroughly shocking Erza this time.

She could only stare at Draxnor, her jaw gaping. She couldn't believe that he joined one of the main guilds in the Balam Alliance. What he said next, though, completely floored her.

"In the six years that I spent in the guild, I rose to the rank of commander. I was the guild's most dangerous assassin… always in the shadows. Nobody knew my real name. Only the Master knew. He gave me an epithet you know very well… Cuervo Altair…"

Erza gasped loudly. This was something she did not expect _at all_. When she joined Fairy Tail years ago, she had heard stories from her fellow guild mates of Cuervo Altair, the assassin who had no guild. He would roam the lands of Fiore, earning fame in the most horrific of ways. Assassinations too gruesome to describe would pop up in the news almost weekly in those times. She had seen the newspapers… the headlines… the pictures… those faceless, incredibly frightening pictures. For three years, he was the most famous and wanted criminal in all of Fiore. But then, he disappeared. Traces, clues and sightings of the rogue assassin that were hard-earned by many investigators of the Magic Council were lost completely. He basically disappeared into thin air… Many thought he had died in one of his assassination attempts. How wrong they were…

To think that she, years later, was looking that famous assassin in the very eyes… It was almost too unreal.

"C-Cuervo… A-Altair?" she stammered, not believing her very ears. She was shaking all over… internally… externally… mentally… she was shaking everywhere. How could Draxnor be _that _Cuervo Altair?

"Yes… I was Cuervo Altair…" he confirmed. As soon as he finished that statement, his neck met the cold, sharp, life-taking edge of one of Erza's swords.

"What's to stop me from taking your life right now?" she growled, already on her feet. "Tell me!"

Silence once again ruled the night. Tension was at its highest now that Draxnor revealed _some_ of his already pitch-black past. She didn't know if she would be able to hold back from slicing his head off if he revealed more. After seemingly hesitating, Draxnor sighed, closed his eyes and answered.

"Nothing… I have no excuse for my past actions, only an explanation… I only did it for revenge."

"Revenge? What do you mean?" she inquired curtly, barely willing to listen.

"My family was killed by members of Grimoire Heart when I was just nine years old. In fact, my entire town was destroyed. I spent a year travelling Fiore without an inkling of a direction, always searching for that emblem. I wanted to kill the bastards that took away everything from me. When I was about to give up, I found them. But there were too many of them. There was no way in hell that I was going to make even the tiniest of dents in their forces as a mere child. So, I did the next best thing in my mind at that time… I joined them.

"I spent years doing the master's bidding, spending arduous weeks training my physical condition and forcing many kinds of magic down my throat, or risking my life in those assassinations. I know it was not a path fit for a young person like I was, but I only had my mind on the day when I would be able to kill him…"

Erza once again could only gape at his story. It was gruesome to say the least. It was, in some ways, similar to hers. She lost her family at a very young age. She spent most of her childhood doing the bidding of the dark guild that had kidnapped her. Regaining her composure, she spoke.

"Who was the master?"

"The master's name was Hades…" he replied, making her shiver slightly. "After a while, I had gained the master's trust to be allowed into the inner circle of commanders. That's when I saw my chance to move…"

When he didn't continue, she asked, "What happened?"

"I failed miserably… Somehow, someone had learned of my true intentions for the master and had warned him. When I made my move, he was more than ready. He was waiting for me with two of his strongest wizards at the time. I managed to kill the both of them, but not without a cost. I was severely drained of magic energy, so I had no chance of even _landing_ a hit on Hades. I was forced to flee… barely escaping with my life.

"I spent a year hiding outside of Fiore, but the Magic Council eventually found me. I was given a choice… execution, or do suicidal missions for the council for the rest of my life or until I was killed in action. I obviously chose the latter… I still had so much to do. So I spent four years as a practical slave, doing mission after mission for the council, purging dark guild after dark guild, taking out demon after demon. Until one mission came forth that caused me to give it all up…"

"What mission was that?" Erza asked, staring disbelievingly at Draxnor.

"I… don't want to speak about it… It's too painful. Please forgive me for that…"

"No… there's no need. And you should forgive me… I… was about to take your _life_…" Erza apologized, regretful of her actions. "I now see that you have suffered deeply in your past, just like me… I hope we can clear this misunderstanding and be actual friends."

"Friends?" Draxnor asked, staring at her. She looked at him, about to confirm what she said when she saw his eyes.

Her eyes widened slightly. His eyes held the most emotion she had ever seen in him before, but they held something else… flashes of red would appear sporadically. He winced in apparent pain and grabbed his head.

"Draxnor, are you alright?" she asked, concerned. She motioned to go with him, but he halted her with his left hand.

"It's alright, Erza. It's the drain of magic energy catching up to me. I'll be fine. Thanks for your concern," he assured her.

"Are you sure?" she asked customarily. At his nod, she relented slightly. "You're right. We should go rest, you must be really tired."

"Very well… let's…" he replied, a small smile on his face.

As they made their way back to the village, only one thought went through Draxnor's mind.

'_That's not good… What's going on? This has never happened before… __**Why**__…?' _

…

Erza woke up suddenly, hissing silently in pain. There was a severe burning sensation in the small of her back. Wincing, she bit her lip to avoid crying in pain.

What was going on? Why was her lower back burning in such a painful way? Was there a wound that went unaccounted for after the battle with Deliora? If so, why didn't it manifest earlier? Surely a wound caused by that demon would've had signs presenting themselves _way_ before this, right? Why _now _of all times?

She looked around, wondering if there was anyone awake to witness her predicament. None of her friends were awake. Her eyes momentarily fell on the sleeping form of the newest member. He was sitting against a box, his head hanging slightly. She thought he was in a deep sleep, but when he suddenly stirred, her breath hitched slightly.

She released an unknowingly held breath of relief. She didn't want anyone to see her weakness. Now… she would probably only show it to _him_.

Noise could be heard from the outside, signifying that not everyone in the village had ceased their activities.

Ignoring them, she let her eyes trail to her favorite Dragon Slayer, uncharacteristically stiff and serious-looking. Inching closer to him, her eyes tinged with worry and sadness, she reached over and caressed his face softly. No movement…

Her face scrunched up in anger… anger at herself, for being so weak _again_. Once again _he_ had to protect her, putting his life on the line, only this time he actually almost lost it…

She shook her head, screaming at herself to never think like that again. He was alive… that was all that counted. Sure, he may be in a coma, but he was already showing signs of recovery.

Already next to him, she leaned forward and kissed him tenderly on his forehead. As soon as her lips made contact, miraculously, the searing sensation in the small of her back completely disappeared. Raising her eyebrows in confusion, she began to wonder if the pain was somehow related to him, but quickly pushed it away… it just could not be possible… Natsu, consciously or unconsciously, would not _dare_ hurt her…

The moment she laid down next to him, an internal peace so overwhelming came over her, almost lulling her to sleep as if she were a baby. Smiling softly, she closed her eyes and went to sleep, but not before whispering…

"_Thank you… Natsu…"_

…

Morning came unusually fast… or so Erza thought. She had a hard time sleeping. Everything Draxnor told her about his past had really shaken her. And then that weird burning sensation woke her up. With no rhyme or reason, the sensation just came and went when she kissed Natsu. _That_ confused her to no end.

The only way she actually found peaceful slumber was when she laid next to Natsu. After that, she slept like a baby. She couldn't believe how peaceful he made her feel.

Analyzing her surroundings, she noticed that Draxnor was not in the tent anymore. Frowning slightly, she wondered where he could be.

"Ah, you're awake. That's good…" spoke Draxnor's voice from outside the tent. He walked in, looking at her intently.

"What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her forehead softly.

"It's eight in the morning," he replied. She quickly lost her sleepy look.

"Eight… good. That's more than enough time to get to Fairy Tail. If we leave now, we should to the guild by this afternoon…" she surmised.

"Sounds like a plan… Oh, by the way… the villagers are… how should I say this… a bit more _demonic_ this morning," he said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" she inquired curiously.

"I think it would be better for you to see…"

And with that, he made to leave the tent before being stopped by Erza.

"Wait," she said. "How are you magic reserves?"

"About 85 percent. Why?"

"I have a question," she replied. At his nod, she continued, "Can you cast a **Force Shield** around Natsu and carry him back to Fairy Tail? Or is it too draining?"

"Actually, it's not draining at all. It's actually a great idea to do that. I'll just have to leave small pores in the shield's framework to provide enough oxygen for him to breathe properly. Don't worry, the pores will be microscopic, but numerous enough," he said, quickly drowning out any possible concerns.

"How much will it drain?" she asked.

"Well, with my advanced healing and magical recovery, I think I'll only use about 10 percent by the end of the day… yeah, around there," he surmised. "If you wish, I'll even use my **Telekinesis** so we won't have to worry about carrying him. Since we're going to be at rest for most of the trip, I think I'll use only about five percent more energy."

"That sounds reasonable… Very well, we leave in a little while," declared Erza. Draxnor nodded and left to do his morning activities.

Looking over to Natsu's resting figure, she smiled softly. Placing a hand over his forehead, she noted that he was warmer than yesterday, a definite plus in her opinion. She leaned over and softly kissed his forehead. She lingered a little longer than she expected. She stopped, though, when she heard high-pitched giggling next to her.

"You _liiiiiike _Natsu!" Happy squealed, pouncing around his chest like a headless chicken.

"Don't make me hurt you, you cat!" Erza growled, blushing furiously. She glared holes into Happy's head, completely paralyzing the Exceed. "You didn't see anything. Understand?!"

"A-A-Aye, sir!" he squeaked, hiding behind Lucy's sleeping form, quivering in fear.

The commotion caused by the duo served as an alarm to the now waking Gray and Lucy, who proceeded to chastise the poor flying cat. They knew Erza served as part of the alarm, but they were too scared of her to try anything as _crazy_ as chastising her… so, they left her alone.

"Good thing you're awake, Lucy, Gray. We are leaving in a bit."

"What? Already?" asked Lucy groggily.

"Yes, Lucy, already," Erza confirmed.

"How's the pyro?" asked Gray.

"He's still hasn't shown a sign of life whatsoever. The only evidence is his very shallow breathing and his somewhat warming skin," Erza replied, caressing Natsu's face, earning a small, unnoticed jealous look from Lucy. Taking on a teasing tone, Erza continued, "I never took you to be the concerned type, Gray, especially for Natsu. Something wrong?"

"You got it all wrong, Erza. I don't give a damn about Natsu," Gray retorted, looking away.

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," she countered, a teasing smirk on her face.

"Tch, whatever," he muttered, not looking at her.

Erza chuckled lightly, shaking her head. Even though he heartily denied it, deep down, Gray cared for Natsu like a brother. His face may have seemed indifferent, but his eyes told a different story.

"We should get ready," Erza announced. "We are leaving in a little while. We just have to speak to Chief Moka and thank him for the hospitality, even though we didn't succeed in destroying the moon…"

"Erza… you know that's impossible, right?" asked Lucy in a deadpan expression.

"Impossible it may be, but it was our job, and we failed to do it. So it will be marked as such," Erza answered with finality.

"But Erza…!" Lucy began to whine, but was interrupted by a raised hand from Erza.

"No buts, Lucy. It's not in our ways to ask for a reward that was never earned," Erza stated.

"You know… in a way, the job was actually completed…" piped up Draxnor's voice, garnering everyone's attention. They turned to see him with a still very _demonic_ Chief Moka.

"AACK! You're still a demon!" screamed Lucy, jumping slightly in fear. "But… how?!"

"That's the peculiar part. Turns out, it wasn't the _moon_ that was affecting the villagers. It was the _**Moon Drip**_. Apparently, the villagers here were all demons from the start, but they could use magic to transform into humans. However, their natural aversion to **Moon Drip** caused fluctuations in their memory, causing them to believe that they were humans from the start, further causing them to call their _natural_ forms a curse," explained Draxnor. Erza gave a short "ah!" as if she made a breakthrough.

"I see…" she began, placing a hand on her chin. "So my suspicions were not without accuracy…"

"Hmm?" Draxnor hummed questioningly, gesturing for her to continue.

"I had my suspicions about this island's villagers… It seemed strange that the villagers were human during the day and demons during the night, with the moon to blame for their changes. The purple moon only seemed to intensify those suspicions… Now that they're demons even _during_ the day and the moon turned silver yesterday night, my suspicions have been confirmed…" Erza explicated.

"But _how_ did the moon turn silver? Last night, all I saw was that incredible beam of energy Natsu launched into the air and the sky cracking," Lucy said, confused.

"Ah, yes… the cracking sky. That, Lucy, was a result of the remnants of **Moon Drip** that accumulated in the sky over the years it was cast, forming an enormous shell that expanded over the entirety of Galuna Island. That, in turn, caused the sky and moon to look purple at night, when in reality, it was perfectly normal," Draxnor answered, walking forward, brandishing his slung right arm slightly.

"I see… So, what does that mean?" asked Lucy.

"Well, technically, the mission is complete, since we have removed the "curse" that was afflicting the villagers, even if we didn't actually perform the chief's request and destroyed the moon," replied Draxnor, placing emphasis on curse with finger quotation marks. "Am I right, Erza?"

"Well… yes, you are," she replied, seemingly relenting. "But we can't take the whole reward. It would be slightly unfair…"

"I firmly ask for you to accept the reward I offered with the request," spoke up Chief Moka, finally joining the conversation. "Even _that_ reward will not be enough to repay for your help in restoring this island back to normalcy."

"But… we can't…"

"I must insist…" Moka interrupted firmly.

"How about this, Erza, Chief Moka… what was the reward for this request?" Draxnor asked.

"The _rewards_ were seven million jewels and a **Gold Celestial Gate Key**," answered Erza. He raised an eyebrow, visibly intrigued.

"I see… Well, how about this… can the seven million…"

"WHAT?!" screamed Lucy, visibly outraged, looking at Draxnor as if he were insane. He only raised his left hand in a placating gesture before continuing.

"_But_… let's take the **Celestial Gate Key**, for Lucy. How does that sound?"

Lucy brightened considerably, and looked at Erza, hoping she would accept.

"Sounds reasonable…" was all she said.

Lucy cheered loudly, iterating "I got a **Gate Key**!" for what seemed like an eternity.

"Now that that's settled, I think we should go," announced Erza, smiling slightly. "Draxnor, go ahead."

He nodded, pointing his left hand at Natsu's prone body. Lucy's eyes widened.

"What's he…?"

"**Force Shield!"**

An oval-shaped shield surrounded Natsu, decreasing in size until it adapted snuggly to his form. However, there was no restriction visible, for the now visible rise and fall of his breathing chest was continuing normally.

"What did you do?" asked Lucy, slightly on edge.

"Nothing harmful to Natsu, I assure you. All I did was surround him in a porous **Force Shield** to allow me to move him with ease. His position will remain unchanged and no harm will befall him, I will make sure of that," Draxnor assured. Before she could ask anything else, he continued, "The shield is porous to allow him to breathe properly. I will use my **Telekinesis** to carry him, as well as redirect any possible attacks."

Lucy breathed in apparent relief.

"Very well, then," began Erza with a small smile. "Now that everything's ready… let's go home…"

"Right!"

…

It was about mid-afternoon when Team Natsu had arrived at Magnolia. The trip was very uneventful, except for the start. The villagers of Galuna Island saw fit to throw a farewell party for their saviors. And then, when the pirates came for them right after Draxnor launched the signal, Lucy almost threw a fit, but was calmed by Erza when she said they were half of their trip home.

The rest of the trip was just like any other trip: tediously, boringly long. Erza was impatient, wanting to get Natsu to the guild as quickly as possible. When they arrived at Magnolia Station, they all gave groans of relief.

Together they walked down the main street of Magnolia, heading straight to the guild hall, but there was something odd going on. People, along the way, were giving them concerned, sad… _pitying _looks. Now _that_ was something unexpected, especially in Magnolia. Perhaps those looks were directed towards Natsu, since he was motionless instead of walking with the group… but something told Erza otherwise.

The answer to their unasked questions came up… in the most unexpected and abrupt way possible.

"AAAAACK! WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR GUILD?!" screamed Happy, garnering everyone's attention. Their eyes widened to their limit, their jaws slack.

"Oh… my… God…"

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?!"

Right in front of them, damaged nigh beyond recognition, was the Fairy Tail guild hall. Immense metal logs surrounded by a purple transparent shield were stabbed across the structure of the building, with sections of it already collapsing.

"Who the hell would dare to attack our guild like that?! WHO?!" roared Gray, clenching his fists tightly.

"I… don't know…" replied Erza softly, shaking in anger as well. Who could've done such a horrible thing like that?

'_**Force Magic**__? And purple, to top it off… That could only mean one person…' _thought Draxnor passively.

"Selene…" he whispered softly, inaudibly.

"This severely complicates things. Lucy, I need you to do me a favor," said Erza. At Lucy's nod, she continued, "I need you and Draxnor to take Natsu to your apartment, since the guild hall is _obviously_ in no condition to house him."

"Right!" said Lucy, beginning to swiftly walk in the direction of her apartment. "Let's go, Draxnor. It's this way."

He nodded, quickly following in her footsteps.

"Hey! Wait for me!" squeaked Happy, quickly zooming towards them.

"Alright, Gray. Let's go in," said Erza, sighing softly.

"Right," was all Gray said, barely garnering control of his anger.

The moment they opened the door, they were met with a barely recognizable, torn up guild interior. The shielded metal logs were stabbed into various spots on the floor and walls. The roof had collapsed in various sections, allowing sunlight to peek through. Weaving through the debris on the floor, they made their way to the center of the building, only to stop abruptly.

"Hey, Erza. I hear activity in here," Gray pointed out in a whisper. Erza nodded, acknowledging his statement.

"I hear it as well. It seems to be under us… Ah! The basement!" she proclaimed softly, stealthily making her way to the basement door behind the bar's counter. "Let's go… It can be either our guild mates or the perpetrators… so we have to be careful."

"Right," Gray agreed, slightly skeptical. Why would the ones that caused this stay behind, risking discovery? It was slightly nonsensical, in his opinion, but he kept it to himself.

How right Gray was. The moment they opened the door and went down into the basement, they were met with the sight of many disgruntled guild members, sitting around in what obviously were tables from above that survived the attack. They were halfheartedly greeted, but they fell on deaf ears when the duo's eyes fell on the master's tiny form, sitting lopsidedly on a stool with a mug in his hand.

"Master!" called out Erza, rushing over to him, Gray right behind her.

"Ah, Ersha, Gray, you're back! I'm glad you bratsh are back shafe and shound," greeted Master Makarov drunkenly. Erza had a rather bemused expression, while Gray just stood there, expressionlessly angry. "Wait… where are the other bratsh?"

"They're over at Lucy's house… taking care of Natsu…" Erza trailed off, quickly looking away. Mirajane, who was listening quietly to their conversation, caught this.

"What happened?" she asked curtly.

"Well… Natsu… got injured… and…" began Erza hesitantly.

"_And_?" Mirajane pressed on. Erza sighed deeply.

"… He's… in a coma…" she answered.

Silence… deafening, crushing silence… A pin dropping would be as loud as a dragon's roar…

_Coma_… that word lingered in the air for what seemed like an eternity. It ran through the minds of every member in Fairy Tail, but it didn't register… it didn't click.

Did they hear Erza correctly? Did she just say that _Natsu_ of _all_ people was in a _coma_? It couldn't be possible… it just couldn't! _Natsu_ and _coma_ just did not fit in the same sentence! Erza had to be joking. This had to be some sick joke perpetrated by Natsu. Knowing his carefree and joking personality, they wouldn't be _completely_ surprised if he pulled it off.

Almost in complete sync, most of the guild turned towards the door leading upstairs for any signs of a laughing Natsu walking in with Lucy, Happy and Draxnor…

Mirajane, however, did not. Her eyes were as wide as they could go, filled with absolute horror. She shakily brought her hands up to her mouth as tears began to well up in her eyes.

She could see it… the seriousness… the _sadness_ in Erza's eyes. The instant she looked away, Mirajane knew she was serious. She knew it was no joke like the rest of the guild thought. This… was real…

"Why…?" she whispered, her hands dropping to her sides, clenching tightly. Erza looked at her questioningly.

"WHY IS IT ALWAYS WITH YOU?!" Mirajane screamed, glaring holes into Erza's head before rushing out of the basement.

Erza grit her teeth tightly. She had a point. It was _always _with her. Natsu _always_ got hurt when they were together in missions… Maybe it would be better for the both of them if they stopped going on missions together…

"Erza…" began Master Makarov seriously, completely sobering up, and snapping her out of her thoughts. "Explain…"

Hesitantly, biting her lip, she began, from the moment they arrived to Galuna Island and saved Lucy from Sherry, the epic fight between Draxnor and Natsu that the latter won (this completely shocked everyone, nobody expected Natsu to beat someone Erza couldn't), the revival of Deliora (eliciting gasps from everyone during this one), the frantic life-or-death battle, the near-death of Natsu, and finally, Natsu's miraculous return and dominant victory with a power she could only describe in one word… _godly_. She also described the frenzied state he was in while using that power.

When she finished, that deafening silence ruled the guild's basement again. A multilayered expression of uninhibited shock, exhilarated awe and overwhelming concern was shared between the guild members. The only one who didn't was Master Makarov… he had a serious, thoughtful frown.

Erza had skipped the part about Draxnor's past. She hadn't forgotten… she just wanted to discuss that _particular_ subject in private with the master. She knew that revealing that Draxnor was the infamous assassin Cuervo Altair would not sit well with the entirety of the guild.

"So…" Master Makarov began, "That pillar of light we saw yesterday night was Natsu?"

"Yes… Master," replied Erza, nodding. He sighed deeply, rubbing his brows as the rest of the guild gasped. This was just not their day… First, they find out that their entire guild was ransacked by members of Phantom Lord (thankfully it was late at night, so nobody was injured). Then, they find out that Natsu, one of the guild's strongest members was in a coma after using a power _nobody_ knew about and singlehandedly demolishing one of Zeref's stronger demons.

How could it get any worse?

Master Makarov sighed. "Very well… Let's go see Natsu…"

Erza only nodded and was about to leave until she was stopped by Gray.

"Master… who did this to _our _guild?" he asked, gritting his teeth tightly, brandishing a clenched fist. Master Makarov sighed again, for the umpteenth time today.

"It was Phantom Lord…" was all he replied before jumping off the stool.

"And what are we going to do about it?" Gray asked. Master Makarov looked at him before closing his eyes and looking away.

"Nothing…"

"WHAT?! They trashed our guild! And you're going to do NOTHING?!" Gray shouted.

"Look, young man," Master Makarov started, glaring up at Gray. He flinched slightly… he knew that look _very_ well.

"We are not going to get involved in senseless conflict! Our guild hall may have been damaged, but none… I repeat myself… _none_ of our fellow guild members have been hurt, and that is _all_ that matters. _Do I make myself clear_?"

"But… what about our pride as a guild?!" asked Gray, already feeling defeated in this argument.

"Pride is not important here. In fact, pride is the_ least_ important thing here. Natsu is in a coma. He takes _absolute_ priority. What would you rather worry about? That another guild attacked us and _wounded_ our pride? Or that one of your _friends_ is on the verge of death and could possibly leave us for eternity?" asked Master Makarov, his tone colder than before.

Gray was slack-jawed, trying in vain to utter a word. Clenching his teeth slightly, he looked down, slightly ashamed of himself.

"My friend matters more…" he finally said, closing his eyes. The master only grunted in response before leaving to Lucy's apartment.

Placing a supportive hand on Gray's shoulder, Erza slightly gestured for him to walk with her. Halfheartedly, he began to move.

Erza looked at him for a few seconds before focusing on her path. She clenched her fist and placed it above her heart.

'_Please wake up soon… Natsu…'_

…

Night came fast for the members of Fairy Tail. It was surprising, since all they did the entire day was lounge around in the guild's basement, or visit Natsu at Lucy's place.

The last group of people to leave Lucy's house was Shadow Gear, a three mage team under leadership of Lucy's best friend, Levy McGarden.

The petite blue haired girl was walking beside Jet and Droy. Making their way through a dark alley, the three of them were chatting as the men walked Levy home, for "_safety_" purposes. So engrossed they were in their conversation that they did not sense two very powerful magical signatures watching them from a roof.

"Do we attack these?" asked one of them, a female. Her long trench coat flowed with the breeze.

"Yeah. These are our ticket to war…" grunted the other, a male. She was about to lunge at them but he raised a hand, halting her.

"_What the hell, Gajeel_?" the female growled threateningly.

"_Wait_, Selene. Just a little more…" Gajeel replied, looking down at the three mages as they passed right below them. Silence reigned, only pierced by laughter and conversation. "Wait… wait… wait… _Now_!"

Instantly, they lunged towards the group of unsuspecting mages, fists thrown forward.

The males barely had time to turn around before a fist sank in their faces, knocking them out instantly and sending them flying towards a wall.

"JET! DROY!" Levy screamed in terror, reaching out to them.

"Now, now, little lady. Don't be so loud. You don't want to wake up everyone, now, do you?" asked Gajeel.

Turning around, Levy gasped loudly and fell on her ass, crying out in pain. Looking up, she froze, her eyes wide in shock and fear. They were being attacked, and now Jet and Droy were out of commission. She was alone… defenseless against enemies that were clearly more powerful than her.

"Now _that's_ a look befitting you Fairy scum," said Selene, smiling maliciously down at the cowering Levy. "Let me put her out, Gajeel. You wouldn't want to hit a _lady_ now, would you?"

Gajeel laughed loudly. He walked past Levy, waving his left hand offhandedly. "Do whatever you want. I'll go get the other two."

That was all the confirmation she needed. Slowly moving forward, brandishing her right fist. She pulled back, preparing to strike.

"**Black Armament!"**

Levy's eyes widened. '_That spell… It's so familiar. Why is it so familiar?! Wait… It's that new guy's, Draxnor's! _He's_ the one that used it!'_

"Good night, Fairy scum…"

Levy closed her eyes, expecting a world of pain.

But… it never came…

Slowly opening her eyes, Levy looked up and locked on Selene's blackened fist, struggling with another blackened fist. A flowing pitch-black and blood-red trench coat came into view…

"D-Draxnor?" she asked shakily, relief flooding her system. She was saved… Draxnor, having beaten Erza, had made it into the top five in her list of strongest wizards in Fairy Tail, so she knew that he was going to drive her assailants away.

"_Y-You…_" Selene growled, her eyes wide with surprise. She narrowed them dangerously.

"Yes… me," Draxnor replied offhandedly. He then kneed her in the gut, making her bend over, gasping in pain, and then gave her a vicious uppercut, sending her flying back.

Flipping backwards, Selene managed to land on her feet and wiped off a thin trail of blood from her lips. But… Draxnor was nowhere to be seen.

"Gajeel! He's here!"

No reply…

"Hey, tin head! He's HERE!"

This time, her response was a groan of pain, from right next to her. Her eyes widened slightly. Gajeel was strewn on the ground, grasping his abdomen.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" asked Draxnor's voice from apparently all around the Phantom duo.

"Where are you, you coward?! Come out, so I can _kill_ you!" Selene shouted. Laughter rang throughout the night.

"Kill me? I don't think so…"

Draxnor materialized in front of them, apparently from the shadows. He had a smile on his face, his trench coat gone, leaving him in his battle attire. He held a relaxed yet guarded battle stance, with his left hand at the ready.

"You really have grown… Selene Vermilion…"

…

* * *

><p><em><strong>And there it is! Chapter 6 is done!<br>**_

_**I bet nobody expected Draxnor to be a former member of Grimoire Heart, eh? As for his assassin past? That's for later.**_

_**Big shoutout for treeofsakuras for figuring out who Natsu's brother was. Damn, man. Really, here's a million cyber-cookies for ya. **_

_**As for my other story that I'm working on, it will most likely be a Dark NatsuxHarem. The girls... oooh, I'll keep that to myself, though Erza will probably be a shoe-in, as well as Mirajane. I will take suggestions, though, so just PM me. If I see a good amount of people want a certain girl, I'll find a way to add her. I WILL, however, have a set maximum (though it's not exactly clear right now). Can't have Natsu have his way with EVERY girl in all of Earthland, now, can we?**_

_**As for the poll, I'll close it August 1st. So, cast your votes people! So far, most of the people don't want Lucy paired with someone, and I find that amusing. **_

_**Alright enough of my rambling. Thank you for reading!**_

_**Please! Review, review, review!**_

_**Until next time! Ciao!**_


	7. Guilds at War II: Deceptive Hatred

_**Hello, Everyone!**_

_**I apologize for the absolutely MASSIVE waiting period! The only two things I can blame for that are school and work! Oh yeah... I also had to rewrite the chapter... ANNNNDDDD... I laid the foundation for a Bleach fanfic... as well as work on my Dark Natsu story... It isn't clicking right now... :.(**_

_**This chapter might be a little shorter than the last ones, but hey, I think it's just as action packed... **_

_**As for the poll I closed a millennia ago... No one loves Lucy... Let's just keep it at that... **_

_**Almost 10,000 hits guys! OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS! AND it's on my first freaking story! Thank you all for your continued support! You have no idea how much it motivates me to continue writing, even with my busy schedule! **_

_**Review Responses**_

_**Well... I've decided to add this little section due to the fact that some of my readers have questions and I don't want to look like I'm some ignorant ass who doesn't care about his readers' opinions and/or questions. So... onward, my knave! **_

_**tHe ultimate demon dragon lord**__**:** _As much as I would love to answer that question for you, I can't! It would spoil the fun! But it shall come... Just get ready!**  
><strong>

_**Natsu is**** A****wesome:**_I never said this before, but... awesome name bro! Two big thumbs up! The 1st Gen. Dragon Slayers are not servants to the Dragon God. As much as I would love to see Wendy in a maid outfit... umm... no, lol. Bad Pablo! It's just respect towards their deity. Natsu will have a badass reawakening. HE DESERVES IT! And, my God, will he kick ass... I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it! Well... I hope so... lol. And to answer a previous review of yours... at the time... I didn't even know what Hollowfication was! Until I started watching Bleach. I... got... HOOKED! I see how you can connect Natsu's transformation with Hollowfication, and... well... I can see the blatant similarities... Oh, what the heck... It's a LOT like Hollowfication! However, Natsu won't have an inner demon to fight for control. And he won't transform into a horned, long-haired instinctual badass that owns every being in existence with a Cero that not even Ulqiorra's Segunda Etapa can beat. Instead of being linked to instinct... I think that this primal transformation of Natsu's will be more connected to... rage... Yeah... maybe, but it might change, though!

_**ValinNight:**_I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! As for the relationship between Mavis and Selene... not telling! Why she's not in Fairy Tail... coming soon!

_**Okamisu:**_Oh, GOD DON'T TELL ERZA! I'm afraid of her as it is!

_**WraithoftheNight:**_Plot twist? Get ready, my friend, there are many more coming! As for Natsu... he's out of commission for now... but he'll come back and set everything straight! Or will he...? As for Natsu's brother... Oooohh, so many ideas swimming in my head...

_**treeofsakuras:**_I will just say this for Natsu's power... "This is not even my final form!" 'Nuff said.

_**Anyways, onto the story!**_

_**Please read and review!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, its rights or any of its characters, spells, locations, etc. These belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima. I only own my OCs, my spells, etc. Any resemblance to anything or anyone, either living or dead, is purely coincidental. Also, this work is purely meant for non-profit entertainment.**

Hello " "= **Dialogue**

**Requip " "= Spells, Magical Item Names and Non-Human Speech  
><strong>

_What? ' ' = _**Thoughts**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Guilds at War II: Deceptive Hatred<strong>

Draxnor contemplated the scene before him with a deep, thoughtful expression, layered by a small, confident smile. Before him were two wizards… one of them was his surrogate little sister that he hadn't seen in three years… the other was a famous S-Class Wizard from Phantom Lord, and a Dragon Slayer to top it off…

Selene, almost, if not just, as strong as Erza, together with "Black Steel" Gajeel, a Dragon Slayer just as powerful as Natsu without his **Blazing Drive**, left him at a _serious_ disadvantage. According to his express calculations, the probability of him making it out of this situation without grave injuries was slim. However… the probability was still there.

"Tch… you haven't changed… _brother_…" spat Selene venomously.

Levy, who was now standing behind Draxnor, looked at him, her eyes wide in shock and disbelief. Draxnor had a _sister_? And she attacked the guild her brother was in! There was something going on here, and it didn't feel right for Levy.

"And you…" began Draxnor, dropping his battle stance, and adopting an entirely relaxed posture. "You have grown into one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen…"

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Draxnor. You know why I have come," she countered, her anger beginning to bubble. Finally, after three years, she stood in front of the brother who murdered her parents, adopted her, and then abandoned her. She would have her revenge… no matter the cost.

"Draxnor… she's your sister?!" asked Levy, still not getting over her overwhelming shock.

"Yes, Levy… she's my sister. Her name is Selene Vermilion… We, _of course_, go a _long_ way back," replied Draxnor offhandedly. "Levy, can you please do me a favor?"

"Umm… sure," was all Levy replied.

"I need you to please go to your friends Jet and Droy and take them somewhere safe. I will handle things here," Draxnor ordered softly.

"B-But… Draxnor! Your arm…!" protested Levy, wanting to stay and help her savior in any way possible.

"You need not worry about me… I'll be fine. I have been in these kinds of situations many times in the past," he reassured, giving her a small smile.

"I w-want to help… in any way possible!" she proclaimed, about to take a step forward, but he halted her with his hand.

"I mean no offense with this, Levy… but these wizards are out of your league… I can almost guarantee you that _she_ is just as strong as Erza and _he_ is just as strong as Natsu… together they would grossly outmatch you. Hell, they even outmatch _me… _Please… for your safety… _leave_!" he ordered, more sternly this time.

Levy's breath hitched slightly and she took a step back. In front of her were wizards that could probably match Erza and Natsu blow for blow. Right now, her shock and disbelief knew little to no bounds. He was right. She was _way_ out of place in this fight. She needed to get out of there… and _fast_!

"Alright… I'll leave… but please, Draxnor… Please, be careful," Levy pleaded, gripping her fists tightly. She despised the feeling of uselessness that began to overtake her. She was now wishing that she was strong enough so she could _at least_ give her assailants a good fight.

"I will… Thank you, Levy," replied Draxnor, once again smiling at her. With that, she departed in the direction her two teammates flew, not wanting to turn back.

When she disappeared, Draxnor turned and faced his two opponents, who, surprisingly, have not made a single move.

"So, _this_ guy is your brother, huh?" asked Gajeel, visibly unimpressed.

"Yes, Gajeel. This is my brother," replied Selene, not looking at her partner. Gajeel scoffed.

"Hah, so this is the _so-called_ Wizard-Saint-level brother of yours… he doesn't seem that strong…"

Draxnor raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Gajeel's arrogance. He wondered if the Iron Dragon Slayer actually _had_ the power to back it up… just like Natsu. However, Natsu wasn't even arrogant. He was just confident in his abilities.

"Appearances can be deceiving, tin head. It would do you good if you kept that in mind," Selene shot back.

Draxnor smiled lightly. That part of Selene hadn't changed. She learned, the hard way, not to underestimate _anyone_, no matter what.

"You should listen to my sister, "Black Steel" Gajeel," Draxnor interrupted their conversation. "She knows from experience… I have more than enough power to take you both on…"

"Bah, bullshit! You cannot be serious! With a broken arm? Give me a break!" Gajeel spoke derisively, laughing shortly afterward.

"I don't need my right arm to deliver decisive blows, Gajeel… You should keep that in mind," Draxnor lectured, but it fell on deaf ears, for Gajeel continued laughing.

"How'd you get a broken arm… _brother_?" asked Selene, with venom dripping in the last word.

"Oh, I just got it from fighting Deliora," Draxnor replied offhandedly, as if having a broken arm wasn't even a slight problem and fighting _Deliora_, one of Zeref's strongest demons, was an everyday thing.

That shut Gajeel up. His eyes widened slightly, along with Selene's, shock and disbelief swimming through them.

"_Deliora_?" questioned Gajeel. "Okay, now _that's_ just plain _bullshit_… No one can take on one of Zeref's demons alone and come out of it alive."

"On the contrary, Gajeel. Natsu did that against Lullaby not long ago," Draxnor retorted.

"Salamander? Pfft, he was just lucky. The idiot…" mocked Gajeel.

"But he made it out alive… and that's what matters…"

"Enough talk, Draxnor… Prepare yourself. I have come for your head," Selene interrupted, taking a battle stance.

"I was wondering when the action would start. I was getting a little bored," remarked Draxnor, taking his own stance.

"Let's go, Gajeel," called out Selene.

"…Nah, I'll pass. I'll go after the pretty blue girl over there," Gajeel said.

"What is it, "Black Steel" Gajeel? Are you, perhaps, _afraid_ of me?" asked Draxnor mockingly.

That hit the spot… Gajeel began to fume in anger at being thoroughly insulted by _Fairy_ scum of all people. Clenching his fist tightly, he rushed at Draxnor at an impressive speed, ready to beat him into oblivion.

"Gajeel, WAIT!"

**"****Iron Dragon's Club!"**

As Gajeel's fist turned into a metal log and extended away from him, Draxnor stood there, a small smile growing on his face. He never even made an attempt to evade the attack. It struck his face with great force, making him bend to the blow and fly back.

Selene's eyes narrowed slightly. She wholly expected her brother to evade the blow. Hell, she expected him to _at least_ block it. But when she saw the small smile still in place, her eyes widened slightly.

_'__He's planning something…'_ she thought.

How right she was. The moment Draxnor was about to crash into the ground, he threw out his hand and maneuvered his entire boy so that he was upright. He somersaulted backwards several times before landing on his feet and skidding back slightly. Gajeel wasted little time and lunged at him.

"Damn it, Gajeel! Get back here!" Selene shouted. When her call fell on deaf ears, she roared in frustration and lunged right after him. Draxnor smirked… it happened just like he planned.

**"****Black Force Armament!"**

Draxnor's arm turned solid black and was surrounded by a boiling sphere of red energy. However, it didn't stop there. In almost an instant, the boiling sphere expanded all the way back into his left shoulder, where it then compressed to layer seamlessly over his arm. It then began to expand once again, egged on by the increasing concentration of sheer magical power. His signature blazing red aura with streaking blue lightning appeared, shooting up into the night. Harsh gusts of wind lifted the settled dust of the alleyway and flung it away from the scarred wizard.

This stopped the Phantom Lord wizards dead in their tracks. They had to, for they needed to block off the massive amounts of dust that was being flung towards them. They were slightly wary of the sheer magical power unleashed by their opponent. It was a good thing they had placed a **Magical Sealing Barrier** in the alley beforehand, for if they had not, the place would be flooded by enraged Fairy Tail members. The next words, though, made their blood run cold.

**"****Secret Technique: Oblivion Drill Quake!"**

It happened almost too fast. The moment Draxnor's fist touched the ground, it began to shake… violently. Cracks webbed out from the epicenter and spread throughout the nigh entirety of the alley. Pieces of the now broken pavement rose to the air thanks to the sheer force of magical energy and superhuman strength pulsing through the ground. Selene and Gajeel barely had a chance to regain their lost footing when the most unexpected thing happened.

Spikes of transparent red magical energy began to jut out of the ground, at random times and sections. One after the other they came. Both Phantom Lord wizards, their eyes wide in shock, tried as hard as they could to evade the deadly spikes of **Force Magic** the aimed to abruptly end their existence.

_'__Holy shit! Already pulling out such a high level spell!'_ thought Selene as she frantically evaded the spikes. _'Shit! He isn't holding back!'_

Gajeel could not believe what he was seeing. Draxnor, as if it were child's play, and with _one_ arm, performed a spell he saw Selene have monumental trouble performing with _both_ arms. It was incredible.

_'__Holy shit… Selene wasn't screwing around! Even with a broken arm, this guy's a monster!'_ Gajeel thought.

After a few more seconds of frantic spike evasion, the Phantom Lord wizards landed beside each other, their breathing slightly agitated. They didn't get another moment of rest, though, for they felt a large magical energy spike coming from Draxnor.

**"****1000 Flames of Hell!"**

Suddenly, an immense barrage of rainbow-colored flames shot towards the duo, taking them completely by surprise. Only their quick reflexes managed to save them. Gajeel jumped in front of Selene, his arms crossed, ready to take the barrage, while Selene threw her hands forward.

**"****Force Deflector!"**

A transparent purple wall of magical energy appeared in front of the duo, curved outwardly. The rainbow flames struck the wall powerfully, but were redirected back towards their caster.

Noticing this, Draxnor quickly killed off his spell and scrutinized his opponents, trying to guess their next move. When the purple wall disappeared, Gajeel sprung into action, preparing his next attack.

**"****Iron Dragon's Roar!"**

Gathering a large amount of air in his mouth, Gajeel unleashed a powerful, fast, and large gray tornado that sped towards Draxnor, intent on shredding him apart. He made no move to evade it, once again holding a small smile.

When the tornado struck, a large explosion ensued, overtaking the area with dust. It lingered for what seemed like an eternity, with both Phantom Lord wizards eyeing it with nigh bated breath.

When the dust cloud cleared, there was nothing… only a crater as evidence of what took place. No blood… no body… nothing.

"What the-? Where'd he go?" asked Gajeel.

"Right behind you…" Draxnor's voice whispered behind him. His eyes widened as he turned around. There he was… materializing out of the shadows, with his left fist cocked back, ready to land a blow. He raised his fist as fast as he could to block the strike, but he knew he just wasn't fast enough.

But the blow never came…

**"****Black Armament!"**

A blackened fist slammed into Draxnor's face, courtesy of Selene. Not even uttering a sound, he flew away from the duo. He managed to flip himself upright with his hand and landed on his feet before skidding back again, this time tearing up the ground slightly.

"Watch yourself, Gajeel…" Selene chided.

"Whatever, little girl. Let's just go get him. He's pissing me off…" Gajeel retorted.

Nodding, Selene rushed towards him, closely followed by Gajeel. She then jumped up in the air and attempted to kick her brother down in to the ground. Draxnor blocked the kick with his left forearm as Gajeel tried to sweep him off his feet.

For a moment, it seemed that the combination attack was going to bear fruit… but it didn't, for in the nick of time, Draxnor, using Selene's leg as leverage, launched himself into the air, bringing his sister crashing on top of Gajeel.

"Damn it!" she cursed as she quickly got off from her partner, glaring holes at Draxnor, who had landed a few meters away from them, battle stance ready. Gajeel quickly followed Selene, standing to the left of her, his initial arrogance replaced by a look of pure, unbridled anger.

"Now you've done it, asshole! I'm going to _kick_ your ass!"

He rushed at Selene's brother, throwing his right arm away from him.

**"****Iron Dragon's Sword!"**

Draxnor watched with mild interest as Gajeel's arm extended beyond normal human length and began to morph into a large, solid-black serrated broadsword. Almost instantly after the blade formed, the spikes whirred to life, much like a chainsaw.

"How do you like _this_?!" shouted Gajeel as he brought down his sword, aiming to slice off Draxnor's left arm. Draxnor, at the last second, shifted to his right, very narrowly escaping the whirring blade. When the blade touched the ground, it slashed quite a bit of the pavement in front of it. The slash even managed to climb up a wall and cleave off a section of it.

His successful evasion, though, left a large opening that Selene did not hesitate to take advantage of, for she slammed a black fist into her brother's face. This time, he actually groaned ever-so-softly in pain as he flew away from the duo.

He crashed into a wall, cracking it and lifting large amounts of dust in the process.

"I see… So you have a blade, like Selene and I…" said Draxnor as he removed himself, practically unharmed, with a bleeding lip being the only exception. He chuckled darkly. "Good…"

"What are you-?" began Gajeel, but was interrupted by Draxnor's cry.

_"__Come forth, __**Eternal Damnation**__!"_

Draxnor threw his supposedly immobile right arm away from him, the cast burning off with the flames that overtook them. When they died off, they revealed a completely healed right arm, with no signs of it ever being broken whatsoever.

_'__WHAT?!'_ Gajeel thought, shocked.

Suddenly, flames erupted from Draxnor's open palm, extending away from it, taking the shape of his signature sword. Killing off the flames, he pointed his sword at his opponents, his magical energy flaring even more than before.

"Now, Gajeel, let's see if you can actually _wield_ that blade…"

…

Mirajane sat at Natsu's bedside slowly, gently stroking his frigid face. Her eyes were slightly puffy from the tears she had released as the day progressed into its dusk.

Never did she expect to once again see her Natsu in such a state. When he went against Lullaby he was gravely injured, yes, but he did not fall in a coma. _Now_, though, he was, and it was _Erza's_ fault.

Oh, how she wanted to lash out at her and make her see what _she_ had wrought upon _her_ Natsu… to make her _feel_ the pain that he had obviously felt _because_ of her. And to make things better, that red cow was _downstairs_!

But she couldn't…

She couldn't, for the love of everything that was holy, make Erza feel the pain Natsu felt, and it wasn't because of lack of power or anything of the sort. No… it was because _Natsu_, if… no, _when_ he learned of what she had done, would no doubt be angry at her, and she didn't want that… at all.

Having Natsu angry at her was worse than being exiled from the guild, in her honest opinion…

"Mira…" the white-haired beauty's thoughts were interrupted by the soft-spoken, guilty voice of Erza Scarlet.

"Erza…" acknowledged Mirajane pointedly, not even bothering to turn around and look at her. "What can I do for you?"

The harsh tone in her voice was not missed by Erza. She lowered her head slightly, biting her lip, waves of guilt roaring through her body.

"Mira… I know this must not mean anything to you… but…"

"But _what_?" Mirajane interrupted curtly, turning to glare at Erza harshly.

The redheaded beauty hesitated slightly, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? _Sorry for what_? For putting him in a coma?!" Mirajane almost shouted.

Erza flinched slightly, her eyes widening a tinge.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, _Erza_…" Mirajane continued, spitting out her rival's name with venom. "You should be apologizing to _him_…"

She pointed at Natsu, emphasizing her point. Erza looked down once again, and nodded slowly.

"Yeah… you're right." she replied somberly.

Silence ruled between the two beauties, with a heavy dose of tension from both sides, anger from one, and guilt from the other. It was almost suffocating for Erza.

She couldn't believe it. She had faced many deadly battles before with extremely powerful foes that had shaken her resolve and came out on top through perseverance and pure willpower. Yet a little argument with her rival over Natsu, added with the tension in the room, was killing her! How could such a thing be possible?! It defied all forms of human logic!

Unable to bear it any longer, Erza closed her eyes and opened her mouth to speak.

"You should've seen the power he showed…" she began, trying almost desperately to strike up a conversation so the tension would just go away.

"What?" asked Mirajane, confused by the sudden conversational attempt of her long-time rival.

"You should've seen the power he showed," repeated Erza, slowly, contemplatively walking towards Mirajane and Natsu. When she gave her a quizzical look, Erza continued, "It was amazing. I have never seen anything like that in my life."

She paused, chuckling slightly.

"But… the magical pressure was _so_ _strong_ that I fell unconscious," she continued.

"You did?" Mirajane asked, not believing what she had just heard. She softly continued, "So… did I…"

"You fainted too?" asked Erza, incredulous as well. "But… we were hundreds of miles away! You actually felt the magical energy all the way from here?"

Mirajane nodded. Erza just stared at her, her jaw slack.

"Unbelievable…" she muttered, regaining her composure slightly. "Natsu never ceases to amaze me…"

"I don't think he ever will…"

Suddenly, the ground shook slightly, interrupting their conversations. Losing her balance slightly, Erza leaned on a couch that happened to be beside her. When the quake stopped, Mirajane voiced the unasked question.

"What was that?"

"I don't know… but, there are no earthquakes here in Magnolia," replied Erza, a thoughtful frown marring her beautiful features.

"ERZA!"

Lucy's frantic scream snapped both beauties out of their thoughtful states as the door to the room was thrown open. The blond tenant rushed in, breathing heavily, with a frantic expression that matched her voice.

"Lucy! What's wrong? Why do you look like that?" asked Mirajane concernedly.

"There's been another attack!" Lucy shouted.

"WHAT?!" shouted Erza, jumping towards Lucy, grabbing her shoulders, and shaking her violently. "Who was attacked?! Who?!"

"I-I-It was Levy!" she shakily replied.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" screamed Erza, releasing Lucy and summoning a short sword.

"She's downstairs…" Lucy answered, trying to regain her lost breath. "She's with Jet and Droy, but they're both unconscious!"

"Let's go!"

"Right!"

"Mira…" Erza began suddenly, stopping dead in her tracks.

"Yeah?" Mirajane responded questioningly.

"Please take care of Natsu," the redhead replied. The white-haired woman only nodded.

Accepting the nod as enough response, Erza rushed out the door.

Mirajane stared at the open doorway for a few seconds, unconsciously holding her breath and not even moving a millimeter. Then, she closed her eyes, shook her head, and smiled softly.

"Damn it, Erza… For some odd reason, I just can't stay mad at you for very long…"

That wasn't entirely true… Mirajane _knew_ the reason why she couldn't stay mad at Erza for long. No matter how much they fought in the past, or how serious the fights looked, she genuinely cared for her as if she were her sister… her own flesh and blood. And she knew that the buxom redhead beauty cared for her _just_ as much, even if she wouldn't admit it. Their relationship reminded her greatly of the rivalry between a certain pink-haired Dragon Slayer and a dark-haired ice exhibitionist.

Smiling slightly wider this time, the buxom whitehead focused her beautiful blue eyes on the object of her affections… Natsu. Her smile faltering slightly, she caressed his face before leaning forward and planting a soft kiss on his cheek.

Suddenly, a tingling and slightly burning sensation manifested itself in her right thigh. Blinking in confusion as she removed her lips from his skin, she lifted up her dress to inspect her thigh, and her eyes widened slightly.

There was a small light, in an indiscernible shape, glowing dimly. She looked closer, but she couldn't make out a shape. When it took a shape, her eyes widened further. However, before she could get a scrutinizing look at the now clear symbol, another light began to shine

The light was situated on his left shoulder. It, like Mirajane's own light, had no shape or form whatsoever at the beginning.

It took shape…

Her eyes widened even further… She looked at her symbol, then at his. She repeated this for almost a whole minute.

Her eyes were now as wide as they could go… The symbol Natsu had on his left shoulder was the exact same symbol that was inscribed on her right thigh…

_'__W-What i-is going on? W-What is this… s-symbol?'_ thought Mirajane shakily as she confirmed the identical symbols in her frantically speeding mind. '_Why are they the same? Why?'_

"Natsu… _what is this_?" she asked him very softly. Even if she knew that he was not going to answer anytime soon, it just felt right to ask him. It felt as if he was listening to her in his comatose state, that he would answer her question as soon as he woke up…

What could it mean? It could be no coincidence at all when two symbols magically appeared on a person's body, _especially_ those that were exactly identical…

Suddenly, an immense amount of magical pressure came upon her. She lost her breath, but it wasn't _nearly_ as strong as the one that driven her into unconsciousness… the one _Natsu_ released.

Instantly, she managed to recognize that the magical pressure was, in fact, a combination of magical pressures, clashing and melding into one. The first one was, unmistakably, Draxnor's, while the other one was strange yet… vaguely familiar…

_'__Who could that other magical signature belong to? Why does it feel so familiar?'_ contemplated Mirajane as she lay next to Natsu. _'Could it be…? No… It just can't be… _her_…'_

An overwhelming wave of sleepiness and peace overtook her, almost forcing her eyes shut. Odd how laying next to the person you hold dear above almost everyone else could have such an effect on her, even if he were in a coma. Well, it _was_ Natsu she was talking about here… he tended to do the impossible…

As her eyes began to greet the darkness of closure, they lingered upon the symbol on Natsu's shoulder… a silver, red and white tri-tao symbol with a silver draconian eye in one section, a white demonic eye in the second, and a red hollow eyehole in the last…

…

Erza bolted downstairs to find Levy frantically nursing the wounds on her unconscious teammates' heads and Happy helping her in any way he possibly could.

"Levy!" Erza almost shouted as she arrived at the petite blue-haired girl's side. When Levy saw her, she practically jumped at her, almost crying with joy.

"Oh, Erza, I'm so glad to see you!" she shouted, hugging her tightly before releasing her and locking eyes with the buxom redhead. "Y-You need to h-help him! You need to help him!"

"What do you mean, Levy?!" Erza asked seriously, taking note of her nigh catatonic state.

"H-He's in danger! H-He's fighting them all alone with a broken arm…!" Levy replied shakily, her breathing not calming down.

_'__Broken arm?! That could only mean… Draxnor…'_ Erza thought, her eyes widening.

"Lucy, come with me… NOW!" she ordered impatiently, rushing to the door.

"Right!"

Just when they were about to open the door, a knocking sound was heard. Startling her slightly, the buxom redhead beauty opened the door shakily, revealing another voluptuous member of the guild: Cana.

"Hey, Erza! I knew you were here!" she began, inviting herself in. "Thank goodness I found you."

"What is it, Cana?" she asked patiently, yet seriously.

"I know you felt that small earthquake earlier. I don't know what's going on, but I have a bad feeling about this," Cana explained. "I wanted to let you know, so we can investigate together."

"I see…" Erza muttered in understanding. "That's what we were about to do. You can come with us."

"Right!" said Cana, nodding.

They stepped out into the night, readying themselves for what could be a rather long search. However, just a few minutes later, a sudden, massive amount of magical pressure descended upon the Fairy beauties, sucking the air out of their bodies. They stopped abruptly on their journey to find their injured guild mate, gasping loudly for air.

"S-Such… pressure…" gasped Cana.

"Y-Yeah… I can't… b-believe it!" replied Lucy, just as breathless.

Erza fared a lot better than them, accustomed to being subjected under monstrous amounts of magical pressure. Not to mention, the magical pressure that Natsu had unleashed at Galuna Island was enough to make her _faint_. Sure, she _was_ out of breath, but not as severely as her companions. However, that was not the only reason why…

In the distance, away from the populous area of Magnolia, were two immense crescent-shaped energy waves, one red and one purple, clashing with each other, vying for dominance. Harshly they clashed, unleashing winds that even they felt.

_'__T-That a-attack… C-Could it be…?'_ thought Erza.

Without so much as a warning, the waves shot straight up into the night sky and exploded, providing a spectacularly bright blast that shook the ground below it harsher than before.

Panicked cries surrounded them, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. People could be seen on the streets bordering the small stream and on the bridge crossing it, pointing up at the sky at the dimming orb of fire and smoke that was quickly fading out of existence.

"What was that?!"

"Is Fairy Tail throwing a late-night party?"

"No… That looks like a fight…"

"But who would be fighting at this hour?!"

"I… I don't know…"

Erza gritted her teeth and clenched her fists tightly. It was obvious that this altercation had been going on for at least a few minutes. She had already connected the small quake she felt earlier with this explosion… and the reason was not to her liking. But, how could she have not felt the obviously massive amounts of magical energy that surely would be exuded? What was going on?

_'__What is Draxnor thinking?!'_ she almost raged mentally. _'He knows he's in no condition to be fighting! Especially against two members of Phantom Lord!'_

"Lucy, Cana, we don't have much time! Let's go!"

"Right!"

…

Draxnor and Selene skidded away from each other, both heaving, with serious expressions on their faces. Out of the three fighters, he was the most injured, with several cuts running in different directions on his body and face, some of them of considerable depth. He swung his blade casually, blowing the dust away.

Selene brandished her own sword before putting its blunt side on her shoulder. The sword itself was very much like a less-curved nodachi, with the blade a little under four feet in length, and the hilt about one foot. The sword was as black as a moonless midnight, with two dark purple decorative lines snaking their way around the blade until they converged at the tip, a hexagram-shaped, dark purple hand guard and intricate dark purple designs on the hilt.

Gajeel stood next to her, his right arm still morphed into the large spiked broadsword. He was also breathing heavily, for the battle had dragged on longer than he had hoped. Now that they were out of the **Magical Sealing Barrier**, their combined magical energy would shine like a beacon in a pitch-black cave for the rest of the Fairy scum to follow. They had to end the battle… and _fast_.

"I see… your skill with your **Eternal Moonlight **has increased greatly… I'm glad," Draxnor commented conversationally.

"And your skill is as high as ever…" replied Selene curtly. She then took a battle stance, with her sword pointing towards her brother and her knees bent slightly.

"I have an idea…" began Draxnor suddenly. "Let's clash our **Piercers**… to see which one is the strongest…"

Selene froze stiff. Then, she narrowed her eyes before closing them completely… contemplatively. After a few seconds of apparent debating, she opened them.

"Gajeel," she called out to her partner.

"What?" he replied.

"Stay out of this…" she ordered, surprising him.

"What?! Are you stupid? We were only able to drive him into a corner together!" Gajeel retorted, obviously not liking the idea. When she didn't respond, he growled in annoyance, "Fine! But don't come crying when he beats the crap out of you!"

"Hn…" was all she replied.

"Very well, Draxnor… Let's do this…" Selene called out.

"Ah, ah, ah…" he replied, shaking his head slightly. "Show me your speed first…"

"If that is what you wish… then…" she trailed off before completely vanishing in a burst of phenomenal speed. Sensing her appear behind him, he instantly cast his **Black Armament** and clashed his blackened left arm with her blade.

Using his superior strength, he threw her away. She flipped a few times before landing on her feet and skidding back slightly. She then lunged forward at incredible speeds and swung at him, meeting his black blade. They then began to clash fiercely, dancing throughout the open field, disappearing and appearing as if they were mere mirages, the flying sparks and slashed ground the only evidence of their existence.

"Selene, you are still holding back your speed!" he claimed as they clashed. She only grunted as she jumped away from her opponent.

"Fine then… You want speed?" she rhetorically said as she landed. With a surprising spike in energy, she disappeared.

Right the very next second, Draxnor felt blood squirt from a gash made to his back… by Selene…

He grunted softly in pain as he turned and slashed at her, only for his attack to be swiftly blocked.

_'__Hmm, her speed is only a notch above Erza's __**Flight Armor**__. Is she still holding back? Or is that the maximum speed she can attain at her current state?'_ Draxnor wondered mentally. His eyes widened slightly as she slashed at him once again. It was only thanks to his lightning-fast reflexes that he was able to block the attack before jumping out of the way.

"Is that all you got?" she taunted. "I'm disappointed, brother…"

"Trying to anger me, Selene? That should be my game," Draxnor replied, smiling. "You should focus on the fight in its entirety, not on petty taunts… It could cost you dearly…"

Suddenly, Draxnor flickered out of existence…

Selene's eyes widened slightly.

_'__That wasn't a burst of speed or his __**Shadow Flight**__…I would've easily sensed the magical energy spike!'_ she thought, before her eyes widened further. _'Could it have been… a __**Thought Projection**__?'_

"Behind you!"

"Figured it out, eh?" came Draxnor's voice from right behind her. She turned to see a blade flying right towards her, intending to end her life.

_'__Shit!'_ she thought as she reflexively lifted her own sword to at least block _some_ of the strike.

Their blades clashed. However, the overwhelming strength her brother's blow, along with her unpreparedness to receive such strike, made for a far-less-than-ideal matchup.

Less than a second after the blades clashed, Selene was thrown away from her brother at a breathtaking speed and crashed into a multitude of trees. She cried in pain as she continually crashed, toppling over many trees and lifting large amounts of dust, before finally smashing into a large tree that managed to remain standing even after having a human-sized hole punched near its base.

Gingerly removing herself from the trunk, Selene quickly stood at attention, ready for an attack from any direction she could think of.

"Good… You're now focusing on this fight entirely…" Draxnor remarked, appearing in front of her after using his now identified **Shadow Flight**.

Selene only responded by swinging her **Eternal Moonlight** mightily, clashing with his readied **Eternal Damnation** and deadlocking. The pulsations of their muscles and their tightened expressions made the power struggle very visible.

"Enough…" he muttered, summoning his **Black Armament** and pushing her away. "Show me your **Piercer**!"

Draxnor lifted his sword and pointed it at the sky. Selene did so shortly after him. Suddenly, blazing auras burst from the two warriors… one red, and one dark purple. Steadily they grew, showering the entire vicinity with massive amounts of magical power. The ground cracked all around them, with particles of dust floating and flying away, egged on by the gale-force winds released by the siblings.

Gajeel stood in slight awe at the sheer amount of magical energy being released by the two fighters. He was a tad bit more wary than a few minutes ago in the alley, but it sure as hell wasn't enough to intimidate him, let alone scare him.

However, he noticed something weird happening to the magical auras. Instead of shooting all over the place or into the sky, they were headed to one location… their blades. It was then that Gajeel understood what Draxnor meant by "Piercer".

_'__So they're gathering up their magical energy in the sword and releasing it in a hyper-extended slash… reminds me of my __**Iron God Sword**__…'_ he mused, narrowing his eyes slightly. _'Bah, how original of them…'_

**"****Hell Piercer!"**

**"****Moonlight Piercer!"**

Gajeel's train of thought was interrupted as Draxnor and Selene brought their swords down, unleashing massive crescent-shaped energy waves, one red, and the other dark purple.

Both waves zoomed towards each other, crashing mightily. They pushed at each other, struggling greatly for dominance. But neither would budge. They were even, locked in a clash that seemingly had no end. The ground cracked even further, rocks as large as human hands rising up into the air before being disintegrated by winds harsher than before.

Suddenly, without so much as a warning, the waves shot up into the sky, exploding a few seconds later.

The explosion was massive… the immense amount of magical energy thrown into the attacks bore down upon them like a tsunami. The sheer pressure cracked the ground even further, actually creating a large crater this time. The winds, harsher than they had ever been that night, threatened to blow them off their feet. Both fighters had to plunge their swords into the ground and cover their eyes to shield them from the large amount of dust flying towards them.

When the dust cleared, it revealed both fighters standing a good 25 meters away from each other inside a sizable crater. Both were breathing rather heavily, signs of their entrance into magical exhaustion. They seemed to be equally exhausted, but… unfortunately, that was not the case.

Without warning, Draxnor dropped his sword and fell to his right knee and left hand, coughing up copious amounts of blood. Selene, unwanted concern welling up inside her for her hated/loved brother, wanted to go check on him, but she steeled her resolve and stood still.

"It seems… this battle has taken… a lot more… out of me than… I expected…" he coughed, shakily standing up, his sword bursting into flames and disappearing. "This victory is yours Selene… Go ahead… deliver the finishing blow…"

Selene, brandishing her sword, with a hardened stare, slowly began walking towards her brother. Stopping just a few meters in front of him, she lifted her sword, preparing to end her brother's life once and for all…

"Shit…" muttered Selene all of a sudden. "Gajeel!"

"What?" he called out from behind her as he jumped down from a tree and landed a few feet away.

"We're leaving…" was all she said before turning around and walking away, her sword bursting into flames and disappearing. Draxnor looked at her with a knowing smile.

"WHAT?!" Gajeel yelled disbelievingly. "Why in the hell are we leaving now?! You have him begging you to kill him, so _do_ it!"

"Can't you sense the energies, tin head?" she almost demanded. "There's three magical energy signatures really close by, and one of them is as strong, if not stronger than us!"

"We can take them!" Gajeel insisted. "Don't pull out this bullshit on me, little girl! We already made it this far! Just finish the job!"

"I won't… not yet…" she spoke, unusually softly. Draxnor remained silent, searching for the perfect instance to relay his message.

"Oh, I see… You can't kill him since he's your big brother! BAH, how fucking pathetic! You know what? _I'll _kill him!" Gajeel stated as his arm morphed into his signature serrated broadsword.

"Draxnor!" a female voice called out suddenly from somewhere in the forest.

"Erza…" whispered Draxnor softly, just loud enough for the Phantom duo to hear.

"Erza? You mean "Titania" Erza? She's coming?" asked Gajeel, smiling evilly. "This is my lucky day…"

"No, it's not, Gajeel," chastised Selene, grabbing his shoulder tightly. "We've wasted too much magical energy fighting my brother. Fighting Titania and her companions is a guaranteed loss for us. We have to go… _now_…"

"Goddamn it, Selene!" Gajeel almost roared, looking at her murderously. They locked glares for a few seconds before Gajeel relented, "_Fine_, Selene. Whatever… you're missing out on a _big_ opening your _dear_ brother left for you… Your loss…"

With that, he walked away, grumbling in annoyance. Selene sighed before leveling a hard gaze on her injured brother.

"Be thankful your little _friends_ arrived just in time, brother… I'll let you live… for now…" Selene growled before walking away behind Gajeel.

"Hmm…" Draxnor hummed before speaking, "Oh, by the way, Selene…"

Seeing as how she didn't even acknowledge him speaking, he continued, a growing smile on his face.

_"__Raze the world with the Flames of Hell..._"

Selene's breath hitched sharply as she stopped dead in her tracks, frozen stiff. Slowly she turned around and glared at her brother.

"It's time," Draxnor spoke casually, as if her glare wasn't even there.

"When?" she asked pointedly. He locked eyes with her.

"Later tonight…" was all he said before turning around and limping away from her.

"Fine," she replied before running into the trees and disappearing.

_'__I know it must be difficult for you, Selene. Just bear it a little longer… It will be over soon,'_ he thought.

"Draxnor!" Erza's voice called to him, interrupting his thoughts. He looked up and saw the redheaded beauty along with Lucy and… surprisingly, Cana.

When they saw his state, Lucy and Cana gasped softly while Erza stomped forward, looking furious.

"Draxnor, _what the hell were you thinking_?!" she reprimanded, jabbing a finger at him. "What made you think that you could take on two members of Phantom Lord with a broken…" she trailed off when she saw his perfectly fine… working… right arm. "Oh…"

"HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAL A BROKEN ARM SO FAST?!" shrieked Lucy.

"I thought I told you all about my advanced healing factor. If I focus some of my magical energy into it, I can accelerate it to the point where I can heal broken arms in just a day," Draxnor explained calmly, wiping some of the blood from his temple.

"How about your other wounds?" asked Cana, concern lighting up her eyes.

"They'll be fine. Thank you for your concern. Now that the enemy has retreated, if you'll excuse me, I'll be going home to clean myself up…" Draxnor stated while walking through them. "Wouldn't want to show up tomorrow morning in the guild like this, right?"

"Do you know the identity of your assailants?" asked Erza seriously.

"Why yes, I do," replied Draxnor quickly. He lifted one finger, "One of them was "Black Steel" Gajeel Redfox." He lifted a second finger, "The other one was Selene Vermilion… my little sister…"

Shocked silence ruled the group. The three buxom beauties' eyes were so wide that the entire moon was reflected off them. Their jaws were slack as well… Did they hear him right? Did Draxnor really say that, of all people in the magical world, his _little sister_ was the one involved in the entire fiasco? And since when did he have a little sister?!

"A-Are you serious, Draxnor?" asked Lucy. "Was it really your little sister? Maybe you made a mistake or something like that. I mean… why would your _little sister_ attack the guild you're in?"

Draxnor sighed and closed his eyes. "She bears a deep grudge towards me," he began, locking eyes with Lucy. "For something I did seven years ago…"

He gave a meaningful look towards Erza, one that she did not miss in the slightest.

_'__I see… So that's what he meant that night…_' Erza thought.

"Draxnor…" she called. He looked at her. "Even in your state, you should at least go speak to Levy. She's currently at Lucy's apartment, and she is worried sick about you."

He closed his eyes in contemplation.

_'__Might as well do it… gives her more time…'_ he thought.

"Very well… Ladies first," he said.

"Can you walk properly?" asked Cana, placing a delicately soft hand on his rigid right arm.

"I shall be fine. No need to worry," he replied, nodding with a faint smile.

They nodded, turning around and heading towards Magnolia. He followed suit, a small frown etched on his face that quickly gave into an amused close-eyed smirk.

_'__I wonder how you will pull this off… Selene…"_

_…_

The moment the buxom trio crossed the frontier of Lucy Heartfilia's door, they were nigh instantly swamped by a petite blue-haired girl that had the most desperate of expressions on her face.

"Thank goodness you came back safe!" she nearly screamed, hugging each of the buxom ladies. "When I felt that huge magical pressure, I thought something bad happened to you guys!"

"Everything's fine, Levy… I managed to drive them off," Draxnor said as he walked in last, already back in his normal attire.

When the petite girl's eyes fell on him, they widened considerably.

"D-Drax… nor…" she began shakily, pointing at his now healed arm. "Y-Your a-arm…"

"It's completely healed…" he finished for her, brandishing his arm in front of her by clenching and unclenching his fist.

"B-But… how?" was all she could ask through her astonishment.

"My advanced healing factor. I don't think I have explained this to you before… but it allows me to heal wounds at a much faster rate…" he explained, extending his left arm. "Erza… if you may…"

"W-What?" she asked, caught off guard.

"Lend me one of your blades…" he answered, looking at her patiently.

"Oh… Right…" she muttered, summoning a blade while looking at him contemplatively.

"Thanks…" he said, taking the blade from her arms before slashing his arm without a tinge of a warning.

Soft screams of concern rang throughout the group, with the exception of Erza.

"D-Draxnor! What are you doing?!" demanded Cana and Levy simultaneously, while Lucy only extended her arm concernedly.

"Just look…" was all he replied. And that they did, only to be surprised.

A soft aura surrounded his injured arm, and the wound seemed to smoke slightly before it healed… completely. No scar was left behind.

"Wow…" breathed Levy, astonished. "That's awesome! How do know such magic?!"

"Hmm…" hummed Draxnor contemplatively, before cryptically replying, "It runs in the family…"

A few seconds of awestruck staring ensued, before the only conscious male in the room interrupted it by turning around.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to get myself cleaned up," said Draxnor as he opened the door. "I will speak to the master personally about what happened a few minutes ago, so you won't have to worry about anything. Just take care of Jet and Droy…"

"Um… Draxnor?" Levy began uncertainly, stopping him in his tracks.

"Yes…?" he answered, turning halfway to meet her eyes.

"T-Thank you… for saving me… for saving us…" she muttered quietly, loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room.

He sighed softly and closed his eyes, unknowing of the petite girl's expectant look. He then opened them and looked at her fully, giving her a small smile.

"No problem, Levy. That's what comrades do… right?" he said.

"Friends, Draxnor… friends," she corrected. He raised an eyebrow slightly, his eyes widening ever so slightly.

"Right… friends," he agreed, turning around. "Have a good night, ladies…"

"Good night!" they all replied.

With that, he was gone, his magical signature completely disappearing as well. That struck Erza oddly. How did he move so fast, especially after being injured greatly and using up a large amount of his magical power? Was he _still_ holding back?

"Something wrong, Erza?" asked Cana, snapping her out of her thought process.

"Huh? What?" she stammered. "Oh… no… Everything's fine…"

"You sure?" insisted Lucy.

"Yes, Lucy. If you'll excuse me, I'll check on Natsu…" she announced with finality.

"O-Okay…" said Levy. "Good night, Erza."

"Good night, Levy…"

As she made her way up the stairs, only one thought crossed her mind as she frowned and narrowed her eyes.

_'__It seems you are still holding back, Draxnor… But why?'_

…

Silently, a figure stood on top of a large tree branch in the middle of a large forest away from Magnolia. The darkness, in addition to the pitch-black clothing the figure wore, made it nigh invisible. It was hard to tell whether the figure was male or female.

With sharp eyes, the figure observed the only other living being currently walking through the forest… Draxnor Hellion.

He seemed to be deep in thought, but alert to his surroundings, if the occasional turning of his head was anything to go by. What he was thinking about, only he knew. The figure could only speculate.

The figure crouched slightly, preparing to pounce towards its objective and end him immediately. All he needed to do was get in the ideal position… and he was rapidly approaching.

As silently as possible, the figure pulled out a small black metal stake from the confines of its clothing, and readied it.

Just a few more seconds were needed, and Draxnor Hellion would be in the ideal position… to die…

_'__Now!'_

Without a second thought, the figure lunged forward towards Draxnor, stake ready for plunging…

The sound of ripping flesh rang throughout the night, bringing forth an even more deafening silence.

Wide brown eyes stared at the figure as blood came out of his lips. The stake, driven into his chest, was dug in deeper by the figure.

The last Draxnor saw before the darkness took him… were eyes… red, slit… and filled with malice…

…

* * *

><p><em><strong>And that's a wrap! <strong>_

_**None of you saw that one coming, eh? Ah... thank my perverse mind for using the bane of all readers... CLIFFHANGER MAGIC! Yeah... you gotta love it!**_

_**I'll try my best to pump out a chapter sooner... if I don't hang myself before that... ugh... **_

_**JOKING, my friends! **_

_**If any of y'all are wondering about what's coming next chapter, the title should give you enough of a hint: "Guilds at War III: Retaliation and Revenge". MMM... scrumptious. **_

_**Thank you for reading!**_

_**Please! Review, review, review!**_

_**Until next time! Ciao!**_


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